Time Warped
by Carmen Delta
Summary: Due to a glitch in the timeline, sworn enemies Serena and Darien have been sent, and are now stuck in the Silver Millennium. But just how can they make it back home?
1. The Glitch

**AN: **The (hopefully) long awaited _Time Warped_ has arrived! I am very pleased with this story, as it had extensive thought put into it, lucky-charm jewelery, many, many edits, large amounts of dead ends and plot-wash ups, and much more. BUT I would like everyone to thank (yes, there's another reason to review!) authoress Kaitlyn Fall for her absolutely **fantastic **beta-ing throughout the entire story! If you'd like some imagery; this story, solely done by my, would be weetbix. Boring, plain and dry. Gross, almost. Now, here comes Kaitlyn-chan, aka the milk, sugar, strawberries etc (anything you put on your weetbix folks, work with me here), and you have a very delicious bowl of breakfast. Hence, the finished product. Please enjoy, and remember to review! ^__^

**Disclaimer: **Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me!

* * *

"Oi, Meatball Head!"

Serena paused midstep and turned around slowly. _Why_ was the Jerk following her home? Oh god, was he going to kill her? Leave her mutilated body in a drain somewhere, to be washed away to sea and found in pieces inside a shark by French fishermen? How angry did she make him today at the arcade, anyway?

Serena shuddered and turned back. She couldn't pretend she hadn't seen him now. She would just have to run into the nearest house if he tried anything suspicious.

"Hey! Wait when someone's trying to catch up with you!" Darien snapped as he reached her side. Serena stuck her nose in the opposite direction.

"I don't wait for killers."

Darien blinked. "Er... Well, good!"

She peeked an eye at him. "That was you I was referring to, you know. Now go away. I don't want you to know where I live. You'll chop me up in my sleep."

"What?" Darien demanded.

"Why are you following me home?"

"Andrew asked me to keep the _cry baby_ safe and to make sure she got home all right!"

"So he sent _you_?"

"You know what, you can just forget it."

"I WILL!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Finer!"

"God! You're such a kid!" Darien yelled, turning away. He had taken a few steps forward when a bolt of lightning flashed overhead, accompanied by a scream. He spun around to find Serena running towards the park, screaming as she went.

"No you idiot! You don't head for the trees!" he shouted after her as a crash of thunder echoed above him. A streak of lightning flared across the sky, illuminating the sky momentarily in a blinding white. A chilly wind picked up and rushed around him as he stood, torn between going after Serena and heading home to his quiet, warm apartment.

He didn't know why, but he chose Serena.

"Hey!" he tried to yell after her again, even though he couldn't see past the trees and bushes.

He caught up to her easily as she cowered below an oak tree. "Are you stupid or something?" he snapped at her. Great, now he was going to get hit by lightning because some airhead didn't know what the meaning of safety was.

"Go away!" Serena whimpered, cowering closer to the tree. More thunder and lightning fought above them, and the wind swirled around them powerfully. "Hey." She straightened quickly, looking up at Darien with terrified eyes. "Do you feel that?"

Usually, Darien would have snorted and told her she was being stupid, whatever she was doing. But he too, could feel that. Some strange, unidentifiable feeling in his stomach. "Yes," he said, frowning.

The loudest crack of thunder they'd ever heard sounded right above their heads, and the wind felt like it was turning into a small hurricane. Serena clutched her bag and milkshake fearfully to her chest as Darien reached out and held her collar. They squinted through the wind, trying to look for a way out before things got even worse.

Seconds later, everything was pitch black.

xXxXx

Darien couldn't see a thing. He wasn't even sure if his eyes were open. When his hands made it to his face, he felt around, poking one in the process. He held his hands millimetres away.

He couldn't see them.

"Where am I?" he tried to ask, but no sound came out. He was sure his eyes bulged in the darkness as he realised he was mute. He tried to scream, but nothing was coming out. It was like the energy was being absorbed before it even left his mouth.

He felt like he was floating, he realised. He turned this way and that, rolling over and somersaulting in apparent mid-air.

_What is this place?_ he thought fearfully to himself, curling into a foetal position. Suddenly, he felt wind rushing past his ears and though he couldn't remember if his eyes were open or shut, they stung with tears as the force barrelled into them. The very weight of the atmosphere began to crush him.

Darien tried to scream, oh he tried. He screamed as the mysterious weight pressed down on his, pushing down on his lungs and heart. Darien took his last breath and slammed his eyes shut forcefully. He couldn't escape the darkness.

* * *

_Short chapter, yes, but the rest are longer, don't worry :) The fic has been written and edited, so there's no chance of me leaving you hanging. I will post once a week - twice, maybe, depending on if I've left you on a cliffhanger, I'm coming up to busy times, or I just feel the need for more love. But I will try to stick to once a week posting. _

_Again, please thank Kaitlyn Fall for her hard work! Hooray!!!_

_xx_

_Carmen  
_


	2. Arrival

**AN:** Posting early as I'm going away for a week. Hooray for fun!

* * *

Chapter Two:

Darien opened his eyes slowly, painfully, as if he'd forgotten how. When the haze cleared from his mind and he blinked a few times, he realised there were stars in front of his eyes. He was literally looking at thousands of stars. All he could see was an endless night sky, and the stars were everywhere – much brighter than they should have been; closer, too.

He glanced to the right. More stars. When he looked to the left, however, he felt as if he'd just had a sick, practical joke played on him. Whatever he was staring at, it looked like the Earth. It was bright and colourful, glowing green and blue. And it was very, very close. Much closer than it should seem. But he knew it couldn't be. That was his planet. Looking at the Earth would mean he wasn't on it.

A low groan sounded somewhere close by and he sat up quickly, this time seeing stars from dizziness. He flung his hands over his eyes as he waited for the feeling to subside.

The groan sounded again, longer and louder, and Darien got to his hands and knees –not feeling up to standing yet – and crawled through the short grass towards the sound. Seconds later, he found Serena lying on her back, stirring.

"Meatball Head?" His voice cracked with relief as he realised he wasn't the only one stuck in the weird place. Then he remembered who it was he was relieved about and groaned. "Not her!"

Serena slowly opened her eyes, as if waking from a deep sleep, and focused on the face hovering above her.

"Sammy?" she asked in confusion.

Great, she was still just as ditzy as he could remember.

"No, it's Darien," he snapped. Serena blinked before jolting up.

"What? Whoa!" Her head rocked for a few seconds before she fell back to the ground.

"Where are we?" Darien demanded.

She glared at him as best she could before closing her eyes again. "How should I know?"

"Well it's your fault for us both being in the storm!" he said harshly.

"I didn't ask you to come after me; I would have gotten home just in time if it hadn't had been for you!" She leapt up, swaying unsteadily on her feet before falling back down.

Darien watched as she hit the ground, and the fight drained out of him. She was just as confused as he was, and he was taking his anger out on her. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Where are we?" Serena whimpered, staring up at the starry sky with wide and fearful eyes. Her lower lip quivered.

"I don't know," he muttered.

"Did you feel that... that _thing_ before we woke up?"

Darien nodded. "If you mean that black void thing, yeah."

"It hurt," Serena pouted, reaching for her chest. He watched as she pressed against her sternum.

"Let me," he said quietly, gently brushing her fingers away and pushing down. When she jolted under his touch, he smiled grimly. "I think it's bruised."

"But how!" Serena gasped as she sat up slowly, clutching above her sternum with a hand.

"My guess would be the pressure. You're pretty frail, you know."

"I am not!" Serena snapped.

"Shh!" Darien hissed, holding a hand up.

"No I will not s-" He clapped his hand over her mouth and they both stilled, wide eyed with ears strained for the slightest sound.

A clopping noise was getting louder – perhaps a horse was coming? Serena was about to jump up and ask for a lift back to the nearest city, but Darien pushed her to the ground.

As she opened her mouth, ready to yell at him, she turned to find him lying in the grass beside her. What was he doing?

The sound grew closer and closer, revealing what sounded like two horses and a carriage. Darien shook his head, warning Serena not to speak. She rolled her eyes, silently agreeing not to, and huffed.

"I hate that stupid brat so much! I can't believe how much she gets away with!" a woman's voice said from inside the carriage. Darien and Serena subconsciously flattened themselves further into the grass. "She's out on some _lovely picnic_ today," the voice sneered, as if a picnic could be anything but. "And she's out with _him_. She only has him for protection today, so if I find them... You can distract him so that he is safely out of harm's way, and I can kill her easily." Serena's eyes widened drastically. "Yes, who'll be blessed then? Huh?" The voice cackled at the thought as the clopping sounds drove further into the distance, taking the speaker away with them.

When silence had reigned for several seconds, Serena turned to Darien. "Who was _that_?" she breathed in fear.

"Don't worry about it. We should just head in the opposite direction and ask for help. Maybe someone can show us how to get back home."

Serena nodded quickly and got to her feet. "Hey!" she said. "Where's my schoolbag? And my milkshake from the arcade?"

Darien rolled his eyes at her back as she hunted for her possessions and turned to survey their surroundings. There wasn't really much to work with – they'd have to walk beside the road if they wanted to stick to their direction.

"Leave it, Meatball Head."

"Don't call me that!"

"Hey, is that a milkshake?"

"WHERE!?"

"Just kidding."

xXxXx

"Darien, are we there yet?"

"No."

"Will we be there soon?"

"No."

"Do you know how long it will be?"

"No."

"Are you even listening to what I'm saying?"

"No."

"Do you deny that you're the biggest jerk in all the world?"

"Yes."

"Hey! You are listening!"

xXxXx

"Oh my god, when are we going to get there?"

"Stop whining."

"Darien, I'm thirsty."

"Go find a puddle then."

"And I have to pee."

"Meatball Head! That's gross."

"What? I do!"

"Well go in a bush."

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

"Bushes are icky."

xXxXx

"I'm sooo thirsty."

"If you don't shut up, I'm going to find a sharp object and cut out your tongue!"

"Have you ever considered chopping up a body and leaving it in a drain?"

"What? No. That's disgusting!"

"Just checking... What about feeding body pieces to a shark?"

"How do you even think these things up? Are you even old enough to watch crime shows?"

"Hey! For the last time, I'm _not_ a kid! I'm 16!"

"Glad to hear it."

"Darien?"

"WHAT?!"

"Nothing."

xXxXx

"Darien?"

....

"Darien?"

....

"Darien?"

...

"Darien, are you ignoring me?"

....

"Okay, I have something really important to say!!"

"Oh god, _WHAT_?"

"Your jacket's really ugly."

xXxXx

"How long do you think it's been?"

...

"How long have we been walking, Darien? Coz I'm thirsty, and hot, and tired, and I really have to pee, and -"

"It's probably only been an hour, Meatball Head. Now for gods' sake, shut up!"

"Sorry."

xXxXx

"I think we're here."

"We're not, now be quiet, you're driving me nuts."

"No, I think we're here. Look Darien!"

Darien sighed and turned to see where Serena was pointing. It was a little to their right, but the road they were following curved straight to it. Darien suppressed a nervous gulp as he took in the size of the building. It was massive, and it looked strangely like a castle... A castle made entirely from marble.

Serena skipped ahead, and Darien had no choice but to hasten after her before she got lost. She met him at the shiny chrome gates, where a golden cat sat on the other side. It looked Serena up and down, and then turned its gaze to Darien, who suddenly felt self-conscious. As if the cat could scrutinise! All of a sudden, he was aware of a faint buzzing sound, coming from the other side of the gate, but before he could determine what it was, the gates swung open, allowing them to enter. Serena laughed joyfully and clapped at the feline. "Who's a cute kitty? Huh? Who's a cute kitty?"

The cat opened its mouth, as if it had gone to say something, but simply yawned instead. Darien eyed it warily as he passed. It eyed him back just as carefully.

Serena made her way up the white cobblestone path and disappeared around the corner. She was really starting to bug him. "Cut it out," he said. She wasn't even being careful!

He rounded the bend and was surprised at the sight. Hundreds of people were out and about, talking amongst each other, selling produce, hanging washing – it looked like the middle of a town!

A woman near Serena gasped and knelt to the ground. Serena frowned at her and walked over. "Hey, um, are you alright? Did you hurt you're back?"

The woman shook her head, keeping her eyes on the floor. Pretty soon, many gasps could be heard as the other townsfolk caught on, and all kneeled on the ground as well.

"Oh my god." Serena backed into Darien. "What's going on?"

"Your Highness!" A young girl with dark, wavy hair ran up to her, curtsying respectfully.

"Why are you here? You know you mustn't use the town streets!" Her eyes shifted to Darien, who stood beside Serena. They were both speechless, but the girl continued.

"Come now, if your outing has finished early, we must hurry you back to the palace. You have a lot to do before dinner." She reached forward and grabbed Serena and Darien by their wrists, dragging them up the street. "And great Selene! What are you two wearing?"

xXxXx

Serena and Darien were ushered through enormous marble doors as the small girl poked them from behind. Darien was getting irritated by her insistent jabbing, and was ready to turn around and tell her when she could put her fingers when the doors swung shut right behind them. The sound echoed across the vast room, as if the very doors had signified their entrance.

Serena gaped in amazement at the structure – it was like a fairytale castle! Hundreds of large, white pillars could be seen from where they stood, and two incredibly beautiful thrones sat in the middle of the extensive space. One was silvery white, and was the taller and more detailed of the two, whilst the other – by no means less impressive – was pearly white, and had rounder edges to its design.

The small girl squeezed her way in between the frozen couple and danced to the centre of the room. Serena leaned into Darien and opened her mouth, before snapping it shut as another stranger made her appearance.

She was beautiful, and Serena felt a flood of despair just looking at her. Her perfect features gave her the face of a doll, and she walked with a level of grace that Serena had never thought possible. She wore a strapless silver gown, which flowed to the floor as if were merely air around her, and she held an atmosphere of importance. Serena felt embarrassed for not curtsying immediately – though who curtsied, anyway?

But perhaps the most peculiar thing about the strange and unearthly woman was her hair.

It was exactly like Serena's.

Well, it was grey and longer, but the style was definitely the same; Serena felt another flood of despair as she realised how much more it suited this... this... this silver-haired goddess, more than herself. And she'd been wearing hers like that all her life! The 'meatballs' were her signature look.

"Thank you, Aria, you may fetch the others now."

The girl left so quickly, Serena could have sworn she saw dust fly behind her – not that there was a speck of dust anywhere about. The woman who'd spoken turned to Serena and Darien, a dazzling smile crossing her beautiful features.

"Darling." She raised her arms in acknowledgment to Serena. "Back so soon? I take it there was reason to rush?" Her eyes raked over Serena's face for a telltale sign, but saw nothing, so she continued. "The Scouts will be here in a moment; we must work quickly if you are going to be ready for tonight."

Once again, her eyes roved over Serena's sweaty face, her hair plastered to her forehead, and her school uniform. She frowned delicately.

"What on the Moon are you wearing?"

Serena and Darien spun to the new voice as another blonde girl, who looked very similar to Serena, stormed into the throne room via yet another door. Her short skirt was bright orange and matched her collar, attached in between with a white bodysuit and bow.

Darien thought she looked like a skimpy sailor.

She marched into the room with long, purposeful strides as the doors she'd burst through slammed loudly behind her. Seconds later, a girl with dark hair and a red version of the first girl's outfit huffed in, rubbing her nose. She stopped dead when her eyes landed on Serena and Darien standing awkwardly by the first door. Her momentary pause caused the tall, green-clad girl behind her to crash into her back. A loud sigh could be heard from the hall behind them, and a shorter girl edged around them, revealing the same suit as the other three, but in blue.

Serena couldn't help but gape at their get ups, trying and failing to remove the stunned expression from her face. Poor Darien didn't know where to look; eyes too low and he'd be staring at their long, shapely legs, eyes too high and their emphasised chests – flaunted by their outfits – would be the object of his focus. He gulped and settled for staring at the top of Serena's head.

The blonde strode over to the now-shaking Serena and grabbed her wrist. "Whatever you two are wearing _those things_ for, I care not for it, all right? Leave the cutesy costumes for when you don't have something to prepare for after. Now I just have to work twice as hard, good grief."

She began to drag Serena away, who threw Darien a terrified look over her shoulder. But Darien didn't catch her glance, as the tall brunette in green was staring at him, scrutinising him with her sharp eyes. She gave him one last look-over and spun on her heel, following the struggling Serena and the other girls.

It was only when the beautiful woman in the centre of the room beckoned Darien with a finger that he realised something with dread. They had no idea where they were, and now they were separated.

* * *

_Hope you're enjoying the story so far_

_x_


	3. Preparations

**AN:** Coming home tomorrow morning, woo! Posting a quick chapter here from my USB and then jumping off the computer. Thanks to Kaitlyn Fall for beta-ing!

* * *

Darien walked with shaky steps towards the woman in white, eyes locked with hers. When he was in earshot, she glanced around the room, as if checking for eavesdroppers and leaned towards Darien.

"Might I ask how things went with Serenity today, my dear? I saw no ring on her finger, I take it you didn't ask her?" Her voice was pure silver.

"Ask her what?" Darien asked stupidly. What the hell was she on about? Rings and fingers? She wasn't talking about a –

"Why, the wedding, dear Endymion. You did not ask her today? I thought you had planned the outing perfectly."

"The... outing? Wedding?!"

She frowned at him slightly, and he lowered his eyes.

"All right then, you got a bit nervous, that's very understandable. But my dear, you know she'll say yes, so do not worry about it!"

The double doors slammed open again, this time coming from their right, and Darien and his companion turned to see a man posing in the doorframe.

"Jadeite, please." The woman sighed, raising a hand to her temples. Laughter could be heard behind the blonde man and he turned, retorting to the figure in the shadows that he was much better looking than them, and that they were just jealous. Darien stared at his back – was this man serious?

A tall and heavy-set man barged past him, clipping him on the shoulder as he did so. He walked up to Darien and stopped before him, bowing slightly.

"Your Highness, did all go to plan?"

"He didn't ask her," the woman replied for him. The man, who had silvery blonde hair, turned in surprise to her.

"But your Majesty, that's just..." He turned back to Darien. "Is this true? You didn't ask for her hand?"

"Uh, no." Darien gave him a look like he was crazy. "Look, I'm sorry, but who are you?"

Both traded unamused glances as another male walked up to them.

"Come on Endymion, just because your bloodline is susceptible to brain washing and amnesia, doesn't mean you can pull a fast one of us."

"Look, I have no idea who the hell you guys are, but if you'll excuse me, I'll just grab Serena and we'll…"

"Your Majesty, if it is alright, we will take Endymion now. It's obvious he's stressed out about his… Well, he has much to do before tonight." He turned to stare Darien down. "And to fill the rest of us in as to why he chickened out."

Queen Selene nodded in approval and sent them off, staring worriedly at Darien's back. "How strange," she murmured to herself, as the throne room once again emptied.

xXxXx

Serena stumbled out of the tub as she reached out for the towel. The girls she'd been kidnapped by had stripped her completely naked and shoved her, quite rudely in her opinion, in the soapy water.

"Looking for this?" a voice smirked from behind her. Serena spun around to see the dark haired girl holding the fluffy white towel. Serena quickly tried to cover herself as much as possible, but the girl just laughed, throwing the towel to Serena, who dropped it in her haste.

"What are you doing? We've seen all the bits before." She continued to laugh as she walked out of the bathroom and into the adjoining bedroom. Serena wrapped the towel firmly around her body and stood shivering –both in fear and from the cold air biting at her skin – as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Who _were_ these people? Taking her clothes and shoving her into a bath? Oh god! Was she in some kind of brothel?

"Serenity, time for hair and makeup!" the blonde in orange sang.

Serena whimpered in fear. Not her. Any one of them, but not her. She was terrifying! Why couldn't she get stuck with the silent little blue one? She wouldn't bombard her with questions every second, or rip her school skirt from her waist in seconds.

And what was with that name? Serenity? She'd kept telling them her name wasn't Serenity, but they hadn't believed her. The blonde girl had nodded in a patronising way and replied,

"Suuuure Serenity. We believe you!" before the girls all broke into giggles and shot conspiratorial looks between one another. It was clear they knew something she didn't.

And it was frustrating enough to make Serena scream! Of course the fear of not knowing where she was overruled any other emotion, so the screaming would have to wait.

Serena wondered where Darien was now, and what he was doing. Was he having his clothes stripped off by strange girls and being dumped in a tub of water? For some reason, a flash of jealousy surged through Serena. Wait a minute - what did she care if he was being attacked by crazy chicks? It was Darien! He could handle it himself.

Not that he wouldn't be enjoying it.

Another hot surge of jealousy washed through Serena and she quickly changed track of her thoughts. She just wouldn't think about him right now then.

"Come on!" The orange-clad girl rolled her eyes as she stuck her head in, grabbing Serena by the waist and pulling her towards a soft looking chair in front of the vanity. "You're so spacey today, where's your head at, girl? Planet Earth?"

xXxXx

"So are you going to tell us?" Nephrite leaned against the doorframe as Darien towel-dried his hair. Jadeite appeared at his shoulder.

"You chicken out?" he grinned before turning to yell over his shoulder, "Zoisite! You owe me ten Lunar stones, pal!"

Darien sighed under the towel and removed it from his head. Why they insisted he was this 'Endymion' was beyond him, but they refused to believe he was Darien Shields. Wait, what had they said?

"Me? Propose to _Serena_?" He laughed, picturing himself standing at the altar next to Meatball Head. Strangely enough, he wasn't as repulsed to the idea as he should have been.

His laughter ceased. "And why do you keep calling her Serenity anyway? Her name's Serena."

Nephrite clapped him on the shoulder. "Why don't you save the nicknames for when you're married? Maybe that will give you the push of encouragement you need to actually go through with it." The four men laughed again and Jadeite began imitating a bumbling Darien trying to propose to the doorknob.

Darien stared grimly at the blonde's back. This place was… well, there was no way to describe it. He felt like he was stuck in that mansion, in that movie… What was it called again? The Rocky Horror Show? Well, he'd better just play along with everyone until it was time for bed, then he'd sneak out, grab Meatball Head and they'd make a run for it. He wondered briefly how far they'd get before anyone noticed – and that's if they made it out of this marble-maze of a palace first! He pushed past Nephrite and Jadeite and walked into the large bedroom to find his clothes. "Yeah, she's pretty hot, eh?" he said, cringing slightly at the thought of referring to Serena like that.

Zoisite looked up from his thick book. "Is Serenity ill? Has she got a fever?" His face creased in concern. "Someone should make sure Mercury sees her before tonight."

Darien stared at him mutely for a minute before turning to his clothes on the bed. But they weren't there. Where was his beloved olive jacket? His snug black shirt? Who had taken them?!

"You will be wearing proper attire tonight, Endymion."

Darien turned to see Malachite holding out what looked like a cross between a full body suit of armour and a black ensemble. His nose crinkled, but he said nothing. He was still going along with their little skit after all – until everyone went to bed, that was.

"Hurry up," Nephrite checked his watch, which looked like a highly technical gadget, far more advanced than any other watch Darien had seen before.

xXxXx

"Hey!" Serena snapped as hands continued to flutter around her. When one reached to pull her skirt out further from behind, she spun around to see the girl called Mars kneeling and staring up at her in confusion. Her outstretched hand hovered in the air.

"I was just pulling out the skirt Serenity, it was bunched at the back."

Serena blushed. She'd just been so stressed out about everyone touching her, she'd snapped at an innocent gesture. "Sorry, Mars," she grinned apologetically. Venus took the opportunity to yank the bodice by the upper chest into place a final time before Serena could do anything.

Serena groaned and blew her fringe up in frustration. When they'd gone to style her hair, she'd just about freaked out. _No one_ touched her hair.

And for goodness' sake, where was Darien?

"Okay, ready!" Venus called cheerfully to the two men standing before them, waiting. Serena was surprised they didn't roll their eyes or make a sarcastic comment; they'd stood there, last-minute primping for at least five minutes. Instead, they both gripped a heavy gold handle each and stepped back, opening the double doors in a grand-like gesture.

When Serena looked beyond the balcony, she realised there had to be hundreds of people staring at her from below. She almost tried to make a run for it, but Jupiter's hand on the small of her back kept her in place. She couldn't outrun them.

"Introducing her royal highness, Princess Serenity of the Moon."

Jupiter's hand gave a slight push and Serena stumbled forward. How was she supposed to walk in this dress anyway? She tried to move as gracefully down the stairs as she could, aware that every set of eyes in the room were on her. When she finally made it to the bottom, injury free, she turned to her left, hoping someone would tell her what to do.

Instead, she saw Darien.

xXxXx

Darien watched as the doors opened dramatically to reveal an angel in white. His eyes roved over her petite form, dressed in soft, creamy layers of silk and decorated with shimming pearls. Her hair was done up in its usual twin pigtail style, but small pearl barrettes clipped parts of her blonde hair back from her face, making her look somehow softer – like a princess.

When she tripped in through the doorframe however, the spell was broken, and Darien could have laughed. He'd just been ogling at Serena Tsukino! Talk about bad taste...

But he was glad he hadn't laughed out loud, as Serena made her way down the impossibly long staircase. She walked with such grace, he was sure every woman in the room took a hit to their self-esteem. Serena couldn't even walk down the street like that, he was sure of it.

He barely heard the introductions for the rest of the Scouts as he stared at the descending angel. She did look pretty, even he would admit that. As the blonde neared the bottom, her eyes passed over the crowd, searching for something, looking for someone. When she stopped right beside him, where he'd been told to wait by Malachite, and turned to him, he extended his arm and held out a hand. Well, what else could he do?

The crowd "awwwed" and clapped politely, causing Serena and Darien to blush furiously.

xXxXx

The guests had divided amongst themselves to create a path for Serena and Darien. They did so quietly and quickly, until the two were standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, on the dance floor. Darien looked to his right to see Zoisite imitating putting his arms up, as if holding a ballroom partner. Darien nodded minutely and raised his hands, placing one around Serena's waist, and the other clasping her hand. He heard her gasp softly beneath him and smirked. It was nice to know he wasn't the only one who had no idea what they were doing. The orchestra towards the back of the room picked up their instruments and paused, waiting for their next instructions. The conductor nodded and raised his hand.

"Introducing … His Royal Highness, Prince Endymion of the Earth, and her Royal Highness, Princess Serenity of the Moon?"

Everyone spun to the voice of the announcer by the door as he stepped back. Gasps and murmuring broke out in the large hall when a tall and handsome man strode in through the doors, leading a beautiful young woman in white.

Heads spun back and forth as people looked between Darien and Serena, and the two newcomers. The small chatter got louder as the crowd began to panic.

The man, a spitting image of Darien, pointed a finger down at his counterpart in the crowd. "Who are you?" He looked furious.

The woman behind him trembled as she peeked around his shoulder. Serena almost stepped back in shock. She looked like her!

The Scouts were all looking between each other in fright, and the Generals beside them were doing the same thing. Queen Selene stood from her throne, which sat at the back of the hall on a raised platform. Silence fell quickly as everyone looked to her for guidance.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded in a loud and regal voice.

"Those are imposters, Your Majesty!" The man at the top of the stairs thundered as he continued to point down at Serena and Darien. Serena shrank back into Darien, before remembering who it was and jumping back in disgust.

"Mother, it's me," the blonde called to Queen Selene as she stepped away from her partner. When every pair of eyes in the room looked at her suspiciously, her gaze turned pleading. "Mother, you must know it's me."

Queen Selene glanced back and forth between the identical couples and covered her eyes as she massaged her temples. A small black cat sitting beside her throne hissed.

"The birthmark, my Queen. Serenity will have the birthmark!"

Queen Selene's head snapped up. "Yes," she agreed with the feline. "Yes!" she called loudly. "If you are the real Serenity," she said, eyes trained on the girl by the door, "then you will have the birthmark signifying your royalty."

The girl wasted no time. Bringing a hand to her forehead, she pushed her blonde fringe up from her face and a collective gasp echoed around the ballroom. Queen Selene turned to Serena, who stood frozen in her spot, heart quivering with fear. The man beside the real Serenity, Endymion, hmphed. "I thought so! Guards! Seize them! They are committing treason and impersonating royalty!"

Darien and Serena had no more than a moment's warning before they were grabbed roughly from behind and dragged away.

* * *

_Thanks for reading so far guys, and remember to review! They make Carmen squee!_


	4. Help is on the Way

**AN: **I did make a mistake by not mentioning a certain fact in the first chapter's AN, but a few people reminded me about this via reviews. This story is set to fit snugly into pure canon (if that sentence works right...), with all the details except the ages. Serena is 16 and Darien is 18, but no, this story is set before the existance of Sailor Moon. This is why they don't recognise any of the Sailor Scouts :)

**Many, many thanks to fellow fanfic author, Kaitlyn Fall for her extensive betaing to get this story to A) make sense and B) appeal to anyone with half a brain. Thanks Kaitlyn-chan! **

* * *

"Arrrg," Serena moaned as she came to. The last thing she remembered was getting thrown into a cold and damp cell by the burly guards. Funny, the ground didn't feel cold or damp...

"Ahh!"

Serena rolled off Darien's stomach in fright, slumping onto the ground and smacking her head with a loud thud.

"Ah geez," Darien muttered beneath his breath as he woke up. He raised a hand to his head. "Why did you have to scream?"

"Darien, where are we?"

His eyes snapped open, but it was a pretty useless effort. Once again, they were in the dark. As Darien tried to make out the outlines and silhouettes, he sat up slowly, having to lean on the cold wall for support.

"Are we in a... dungeon?" he asked. He shook his head. "No way."

The blonde whimpered beside him. "What?" he snapped. He saw her shake her head quickly and deflated. "Sorry," he said. "What?" he asked in a different tone.

He heard a shaky intake of breath as her hand reached up to wipe at her eyes. Oh god, she was crying. Now what was he supposed to do? "There there." Darien reached a hand out in the dark to pat her shoulder awkwardly. At his touch, Serena burst into tears.

"I...I...I just w-want to g-go home," she cried. "I d-don't want to b-be here anymore. The p-p-people are mean and I'm s-stuck with you, and you don't l-l-like me and..." She slumped on her side and cried into her arms on the stone floor. Darien stared at her back as her sobs shook her shoulders. His heart sank.

How would they get home?

He sighed and went to shuffle over to her, when suddenly Serena sat up, snapping into an alert pose. "Did you hear that?" she said. Darien started to shake his head when he heard something too. "Did you hear _that_?" Serena repeated, crawling backwards like a crab.

Darien's hand shot out and gripped Serena's wrist, tugging her towards him. "Shh," he said. "Don't make a sound."

She nodded in the dark and leaned into his side, tying her arms around his waist. He was vaguely aware that she had stopped breathing and stilled entirely, but the sudden extra beating of his heart took up most of his attention.

A strange sound echoed around the dungeons, bouncing off the walls and into their cell. When a dim light appeared, floating somewhere in the distance, Darien drew an arm around Serena, for her own comfort of course. The light descended slowly, dancing in a spiral shape until it paused mid air. Silent whisperings hissed through the air and Darien and Serena clutched each other tighter.

_Oh my god_, Serena thought. _I'm going to die here, and I won't even know what's going to kill me!_

Beside her, Darien was thinking, _That thing can't get in through the bars, can it? What could I use for a weapon around here?_

The echoing sound returned as the light began inching closer and closer. Serena was now taking sharp little breaths as her heart beat furiously in her chest. The anticipation alone would kill her if this thing didn't.

The light grew brighter and brighter as it edged closer to them, and they could now see it was a flame. This did not lessen the couple's fears as both immediately produced graphic images of ways to die by fire.

The light was getting close now; only a few more feet. From the dim light of the flame, a hooded white face glowed from behind it. Serena's eyes widened as they took in the terrifying features of their killer, then slammed shut.

Darien, who'd kept his stare transfixed on the face, leaned forward as another face made itself present. The echoing sound was revealed to be the soft clopping of their shoes as they snuck over the stone floors.

When the flame was directly on the other side of the bars, it lowered. The owner of the torch which held the light source lowered their dark hood to reveal a mass of long, blonde hair. Serenity handed the blazing torch to her companion, Endymion, and reached into a pocket in the cloak she wore. Pulling out some bread, she pushed it through the bars.

"Here," she whispered, eyes sympathetic. "I trust you haven't eaten in a while."

Serena peeked one eye open at the voice. When she realised who the intruders were, she shuffled back, shaking her head mutely. Serenity's eyes softened at the sight, but when she opened her mouth, Endymion said,

"Leave it." He turned his attention to Darien. "Who are you and who has sent you?"

Darien frowned at his harsh tone. "I'm Darien, and I haven't been sent by anyone."

The look he received told him Endymion didn't believe him.

"Really," he said. "We had no idea who you two were until we got here. All we wanted was to find out how to get home."

"And you thought the best way to do that would be to dress up as royalty and attend a celebrational ball?"

"No!" Darien snapped. "I told you, we didn't even know who you were. Everyone just called us Endymion and Serenity and kept dragging us places."

Serenity's eyes turned from Serena to Darien. "Where are you from? How did you get here if you can't go home now?"

"That's just it! We don't _know_ how we got here. One minute we were back on Earth and the next we were on the _Moon_!"

"You forgot the part about the horrible black thing," Serena whispered in the dark. Serenity and Endymion exchanged looks, one surprised and one disbelieving.

"What black thing?" Serenity asked quietly, reaching for the cell bars and leaning forward as close as she could to Serena.

Serena shuddered. "It was like a nightmare. A place where you couldn't see anything, and you couldn't hear anything. One minute you were floating in thin air and the next the pressure was crushing you. It was unbearable." She shuddered again and Darien reached for her hand to pull her back to him.

Serenity turned slowly to Endymion, who looked just as shocked as she did. "You don't think it was a time vortex they're talking about, do you?" she whispered to Endymion, which went unheard as the two in the cell embraced. Endymion glanced back at his doppelganger and tried to think of some way to prove they were telling the truth. Only royal members of the courts knew about what a time vortex was like; although the girl had described it with enough detail to sound believable.

"She doesn't have your birthmark though," Endymion murmured as he recalled the blonde's non-attempt to prove her identity. Serenity frowned delicately, her brows creasing on her porcelain skin until she gasped. "We have the ability to hide it if we wish, but that's only in dire cases. What about yours?"

Endymion nodded. It was true, he did have a royal birthmark like Serenity did, but the Terran royals had kept its existence a secret for as long as they'd had it. "Darien, do you have a birthmark anywhere on your person?"

Darien looked up at the urgent tone and thought carefully. "No, I don't th -" He paused. "Hang on a minute..." He turned and pulled up his thin undershirt – he must have been stripped of the armour whilst they were unconscious – and stared at the back of his right hip. He squinted through the dark, trying to see what he was looking for.

Endymion, however, saw where Darien was looking and leaned forward. It was exactly where his birthmark was; the Terran's didn't have the one spot like the Lunarian's did. It was a different case for every family member. Endymion's was on the back of his right hip. "Is it shaped like a rose? A rose in bloom?"

Darien nodded slowly, staring at the slightly different-coloured skin, illuminated in the dark.

Serenity turned to Endymion, who was shaking his head in amazement. "It's them, it's really them Endy, I just know it."

"Who?" Serena asked as she crawled slowly on her hands and knees to the iron bars. Serenity turned excited eyes to her.

"What age are you from?"

"You mean what year?"

"Year, age, whatever. What is the time called?"

Darien and Serena blinked at each other.

"The time we are currently in is called the Silver Millennium," Serenity explained patiently. For some unexplainable reason, this name rang a bell in both Darien and Serena's minds. When Serenity sat, waiting for an answer, Serena ventured her answer.

"Er... 2010?" She felt like she was answering a question in class, one that Miss Haruna knew she would not know the proper answer to.

"Two thousand?" Endymion raised his eyebrows.

"Two thousand and ten?" Serenity asked at the same time. "But that's almost a thousand years into the future! Oh gracious, that means you're our future selves." She stuck a hand through the bars to Serena. "It's a pleasure," she grinned. Serena took it in her own and smiled back.

Endymion and Darien were now sizing each other up, trying to see who was better off. Serenity smacked her boyfriend on the arm as she saw this. "Don't judge him! He's _you_!"

Darien and Endymion broke out in identical grins, and for Serena and Serenity, it was like watching them in a mirror.

Suddenly, from high above them, yelling could be heard through the stone ceiling. Serenity and Endymion instinctively glanced back the way they came.

"Sorry, we've got to go," Serenity apologised. "We snuck out of bed to see you and it looks like they've noticed."

"Bet it was Venus," Endymion smirked, dodging the smack heading his way again. "What?" he defended. "She's as overprotective as a bear."

Serenity rolled her eyes. "And Malachite isn't?"

Endymion tapped her affectionately on the nose. "That's why they make such a good pair."

"Aww!" Serenity cooed, before the increasing volume of voices drew her eyes back up to the ceiling. "Look, we've got to go." She glanced once more at the exit, somewhere down the dark corridor. "But we'll come get you in the morning, all right? Once everything has been sorted out."

Darien nodded, but Serena cried out. "Morning?! But it's so scary down here! And it's freezing!"

Serenity turned back to her and sighed. "You're right." She unclasped the cloak she wore and tugged it off, passing it through the bars to Serena. Serena took it in confusion. "We can't say we've been down here to see you yet, or we'll get in trouble, which might not help your case."

The yelling above them was getting louder as more people joined the searched party.

Endymion stood up, holding the torch aloft. It was burning out anyway. "Come on, Sere," he muttered, throwing a look behind them. Serenity waved gently to Darien and blew a kind kiss to Serena before allowing herself to be lead away by Endymion.

Serena and Darien watched as they darted down the long corridor and up a spiral staircase. Now that their eyes had adjusted to the light, they could make out the path the torch had made before.

Once Serenity and Endymion had disappeared from view, Darien and Serena waited with bated breaths for the voices to stop. Minutes passed, and Serena grabbed the handful of bread Serenity had left behind and broke it in half. As her and Darien sat eating the food as quietly as they could, the yelling stopped rather abruptly.

Serena flinched as she recognised the voice that was first to break the momentary silence.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WENT FOR A MIDNIGHT RENDEVOUS?"

Sailor Venus.

* * *

_Now, I don't think I have to remind you of what the green button does ^_^ ALTHOUGH, if you want something totally FUN to do!, you can click the button when you begin reading chapters, and review as you go along! I like to review with this method, as it gives the author my initial reaction to what I'm reading, and I find it very useful :) Also, it just makes the review slightly longer, but that doesn't matter! That's just crazy, old me!_

_I'm supposed to be posting only one chapter a week, but yes, it does look like I've been rather impatient, doesn't it? Four chapters in basically two weeks. (Maybe it's the giddiness I get from **reviews**? :P)_

_xx_

_Carmen_


	5. Placing

**AN: **Hello friendly readers! I must say, the reviews from the last chapter made me very, very giddy! I was asked if the chapters could be made longer, and if I could post sooner, but I'm sorry to tell you that I've already written the story, and the chapters are better left in the chunks that they are in (and at the time, I thought 2k a chapter sounded reasonable, but I'll definitely keep that in mind for the next fic I work on!). And posting once a week gives me time to write up **Basic Brain Anatomy 101 **and have that follow in concession to **An Unlikely Hero**, that way there's a consistant posting count :D I hope that doesn't make anybody too sad. Just think of it this way! Once a week, you can indulge yourself with a little Carmen time! Hooray! No, seriously, HOORAY!!!!

**AND PLEASE THANK KAITLYN FALL IN YOUR REVIEWS, AS WITHOUT HER HELP, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW PLOT HOLES - BIG ENOUGH TO FALL INTO! AHHH! ^__^**

* * *

"Hey, wake up."

Darien groaned as he was shaken awake. Funny, that didn't sound like Serena... His eyes snapped open to see one of the guards from the previous night standing above him. He turned his head to see another guard trying to wake up the sleeping Serena, which was proving easier said than done.

"Serena." Darien added his hand to her arm and shook her. He tried pulling the cloak off her, hoping the cold air would wake her up, but when she did not stir, he leaned closer to her. "Oi, Meatball Head. Wake up."

"Hey!" Serena snapped up in annoyance, bashing her head against Darien's.

"**OW**!" both enemies cried, hands flying to their foreheads.

"I was just trying to wake you up, stupid," Darien grumbled.

"You could have said _please_!" Serena huffed in return, trying to blink away the grogginess. One of Darien's eyes was twitching from the pain. Her head was so hard! No wonder she had trouble at school. The expression 'thick-headed' came to mind.

The two guards stood nervously in front of them.

"Hey, if you guys are ready, the Queen wants to see you." He rubbed his arm awkwardly as the two cell mates snapped up again, bumping heads for a second time. He turned to his partner. "Why don't we lead the way?"

They left the cell and called back at Serena and Darien. "It's best you don't keep her waiting! She is the Queen."

Serena and Darien looked up from their glaring match to see the retreating figures of the guards. Serena pushed Darien back, where he landed on the floor with a thud. "I'm not letting you get me in trouble with the monarch!" She ran after the two guards, forgetting her momentary pact with Darien.

He caught up to the trio easily and stuck a leg out, causing Serena to fall over, scraping her hands on the cold stone floor. She glared up at him as he innocently walked past, whistling as he went. As they ascended the spiral staircase, Serena stepped on Darien's heel, which made him trip forward, his head narrowly missing the iron railing. He shot her a look over his shoulder, but she just smirked back at him.

They continued to push and trip each other until they entered the large hall from the previous night. Queen Selene sat on her throne, watching as Darien tugged on Serena's hair, her head snapping back. The Scouts watched in disbelief as Serena, in turn, pushed Darien so forcefully, he almost collided with a suit of armour.

The guards seemed to realise it was their cue to leave and bowed respectfully at Queen Selene before rushing out quickly. Serenity stood beside her mother's throne on the right, and Endymion on the left. The Scouts and General's stood on their respective sides.

Serena and Darien paused long enough between attacks to realise they had an audience. They stilled in their movements as they took the final steps before the thrones. Queen Selene looked like she couldn't decide whether to be amused or not. These two absolute _children_ could not be the reincarnations of her daughter and Endymion.

"Um..." Serena scratched the back of her head, not quite sure what to say. "He started it?"

Darien snorted beside her and she rolled her eyes. Sometimes that boy could really get on her nerves!

"So," began Queen Selene. "Serenity and Endymion have told me you are from the future."

They both nodded, not really having anything to explain further with.

"Well." She raised an eyebrow, the slightest hint of a smile forming from the corner of her mouth. "I don't know what Pluto is thinking, but, I am not one to question her. I'm sure she has good reason."

Neither Serena or Darien knew who – or what – Pluto was, but nodded anyway. Serena glanced up at the Scouts on her left and flinched as she saw their expressions. Emotions ranging from confusion, annoyance and fury were displayed. She quickly looked back at Queen Selene.

"I am sure it was intended that you stay with us, more specifically yourselves," the Queen continued. Serenity briefly smiled at Serena, and Endymion nodded curtly to Darien. "Serena." The Queen looked at the blonde, who gulped nervously. "You will go with Serenity and the Sailor Scouts-" She gestured to the girls on Serena's left, whom Serena refused to look at. "But you must remain with Serenity at all times, do you hear me? If someone caught wind that there was another Princess around..." She trailed off, closing her eyes tiredly at the thought. "There would be a lot of explaining to do, as well as your life being in danger." Serena's eyes widened. "Not that there is anything to worry about, my dear. Just the precautions we must follow. Serenity, and now yourself, must never be alone."

Serena nodded eagerly.

The Moon Queen turned her attention to Darien, who stood up straighter under her gaze. "Darien, you and Prince Endymion will do the same. Yourself and the Generals will be suffice for a guard. You will train with Endymion, but do try not to leave his side. Please understand that."

"Yes," Darien whispered.

Suddenly, a wide smile broke out on Queen Selene's beautiful face. "And welcome to the family, my dear children. I will love you like you are my own, for however long your stay with us may be."

She laughed and shooed them away, turning to the dark cat by her feet, as if beginning a conversation.

Serenity danced forward and took Serena's hand. "Come on, you and I will have a walk in the gardens and have a nice little talk, yes?"

"B-but the..." Serena turned unwillingly to the Scouts, who stood waiting for Serenity's command.

Serenity laughed at her stuttering. "Nonsense, they shall be right there with us, walking just a little aways. Come now." She led Serena through a door and down a long, marble hall. Serena didn't have time to pause and admire the decorations as they quickly glided down the hall and through another door

"This is going to be so much fun!" Serenity giggled.

Serena giggled too, although for different reasons. "I'm a real life Princess!"

xXxXx

Endymion walked forward and clasped Darien's hand. "It's nice to know you," he said formally, smiling as he did so.

Darien frowned internally. Why was this guy so serious? Why couldn't he chill out a bit? Serena and Serenity would get along just fine. Trust that Meatball Head to take her new position in her stride. But wasn't she the _least_ bit confused? Or scared? Or cautious? Why they were on the Moon was a good place to start the questions. And why they were royalty was another matter. Hell, why was he from one planet, and she from another? No wonder she tripped all the time back home – she wasn't used to the gravity!

He glanced to his left, about to call the Scouts back for some answers, but to his disappointment, the girls had already gone. He could just see the blue Scout closing the door from the other side of the hall. How many damn doors were there in this place? He mentally sighed. They'd have to save the questions for later.

The blonde man, the silly one, Darien recalled, stepped forward, breaking his thoughts. "Name is Jadeite, and I'm at your service." He winked. "Day and night!"

Endymion groaned. "Don't mind that buffoon. Here, let me introduce you to my other Generals."

Darien shook his head. "We've met."

Endymion seemed to realise this and nodded. "Of course. Well, if this is all the introductions done, why don't we pass by the kitchens and get some breakfast in you, before beginning our training?"

Darien's stomach grumbled at the word 'breakfast'. It embarrassed him – he was turning into Serena! Endymion clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"That's what I thought."

xXxXx

Serena inhaled deeply as they wandered through the roses. The garden was beautiful, yes, but she'd been drawn to this section especially. Serenity giggled.

"This is my favourite place too. My favourite place in the entire Universe. Besides in Endy's arms of course." She giggled again.

Serena made a face while her back was turned. Being in Darien's arms seemed like her _least_ favourite place in the Universe to be. A thought occurred to her.

"Serenity, why are you a Princess?"

"Because my mother is Queen and I am royal by blood?"

"No," Serena leant down and inhaled from a red rose that had silver tips on it. "Why are _you_ a Princess? How come you're not some ordinary girl, like I am?"

Serenity didn't seem to have an answer for her. "I don't know, Serena. Maybe things are different in your timeline."

"Well we have a few Queens back home," Serena said, thinking of the old monarchy in England. "But I am definitely not related to any of them. Besides, they're nothing like Selene."

Serenity picked a blue, silver and white flower nearby and tucked it into her ear. "Maybe Mercury could explain to you sometime how our Universe works. It'd certainly be interesting to you."

"Hmm," Serena nodded, agreeing noncommittally.

"But say, this is so exciting!" the blonde behind her exclaimed, as Serena examined another rose. This one had an un-Earthly shine to it, like it was made from crystal particles. "This will be just like having a twin! Besides Venus, I mean..."

Serena looked up as another thought occurred to her.

"Hey, why was Sailor Venus angry with me?"

Serenity glanced behind her shoulder to look at the orange Sailor, who was stalking with the rest of the Scouts several paces away.

Serenity sighed, amused. "I don't think it's you she's angry with," she said mysteriously, walking further down the path. Serena jogged to catch up with her.

"Well of course she is! Look at her!" She gestured behind her, and the Scouts looked up, alarmed, thinking Serena was starting a fight. Serena brought her hand back sheepishly.

Serenity shook her head. "I think she is angry at herself, more than anything, actually."

"Herself? Why?"

"I think she feels like she's let me down. Or let the kingdom down. She didn't notice that you weren't her princess... So to speak."

"But I told her I wasn't Serenity! I told her I was Serena." Serenity nodded in understanding and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, but you must keep in mind that I have grown up with these girls. These are my friends, and we have played our fair share of practical jokes over the years. I can sometimes be a little silly when it comes to joking around. She probably thought I was kidding."

Serena paused and regarded a white bush with golden stems, whilst secretly sneaking another glance at the Scouts.

Sailor Mars yawned as Sailor Mercury continued talking. Sailor Jupiter doubled back and fell behind, looking bored out of her mind, and Sailor Venus was staring past them, making sure the path was clear.

"But you know what?" Serenity continued, giggling. Serena looked up. "I imagine another thing Sailor Venus is thinking about right now, is about how hard it's going to be for them to look after us. I mean, there's two of me now!"

"Oh for the love of all that's good and evil!" Sailor Mars suddenly shrieked. "Jupiter! Take her away! If I hear anymore about blood plasma and healing roses, I think I'm going to kill Mercury!"

Serenity and Serena saw the distraction and looked at each other deviously. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking Serenity?" Serena giggled.

"I think I am, Serena!"

The two laughed as they ran down the remaining path of the rose garden. The Scouts followed after them quickly, grateful for the distraction. Or, at least Mars was.

xXxXx

Sweat trickled down Darien's face as he blocked another attack. Though he and Endymion had only been at the sword fighting for just over two hours, he was already quite good at it.

"You must be a natural," commented Nephrite, nodding in approval as he dived for Endymion's stomach, when he'd left himself open.

"Actually, if Darien is Endymion's future self, I would say it must be in his subconscious," Zoisite contradicted, looking up briefly from the thick book he was reading. "Just like a suppressed memory, it will be brought to the surface if retried."

Nephrite rolled his eyes and ruffled Zoisite's long hair. "You're a real nerd, you know that?"

"It's just common sense..." Zoisite began quietly, before trailing off, hoping no one had heard him.

Darien grunted as he was flung backwards by Endymion's attack. He landed on his back and looked up at his opponent. Endymion poised the tip of the sword at his neck. "And here is where you say?"

"I surrender." Darien dropped the sword on the floor, where it clattered loudly and held up his hands. Endymion nodded and reached out a hand, which Darien took gratefully.

"Again?" he challenged, swinging his sword around expertly. Darien nodded and wiped the sweat from his brow, reaching for his fallen sword. He would beat Endymion.

Jadeite and Nephrite quickly placed bets and stood on opposite sides of the room.

"Go team Darien!" Jadeite cried, pumping his fists in the air.

xXxXx

Serena smiled at the sight of her reflection. She was standing on a small stood as several maids worked on the hemline of her dress. Serenity had insisted that they have matching outfits, so the dressmakers had been called in.

"Tell me again why this is necessary?" Serena asked, looking at Serenity in the mirror. She wondered when she'd get used to looking at her new twin. "You have a million dresses to choose from, why can't we just alternate?"

"No!" Serenity gasped in mock horror. "Then we might look like outfit repeaterer's! Besides, I want dresses for the both of us, to signify our time together. We will have white dresses, as is proper for the Royal family of the Moon, but you will have pink trimmings, whilst I have lavender."

Serena shrugged. It didn't really make sense to her, but Serenity seemed to know what she was talking about. Serena grinned in her reflection again. The dress sure made her feel pretty though!

"You know, this reminds me a bit of the story The Princess and the Pauper," she said. Serenity bit her lip.

"The Princess and the Pauper? I'm sorry, I've never heard of that. It must be a story from the future. What is it about?"

"It's exactly how it sounds. A princess and a poor girl look like exact twins and..." Serena trailed off at Serenity's expression. "You know what? Never mind." She admired her dress again. "I did like the music in the Barbie version though."

Just then, a knock was heard at Serenity's bedroom door. Serenity nodded to the maid who looked at her, and she quickly rushed to open it. It was the small girl from yesterday.

"Hey, you got me in a lot of trouble!" Serena frowned at her.

"What is it, Aria?" Serenity smiled calmly at the girl, who was confused as to whom to curtsy to.

"Um..." She paused as she tried to recall what she'd come in for. Her eyes darted between Serena and Serenity. "Oh, yes." She cleared her voice and said as loudly and proper as she could,

"Dinner is ready to be served."

Serena and Serenity traded amused looks in the mirror as Aria looked proud with herself for her delivery of the message.

"All right, we'll be there in a moment." Serenity nodded and Aria curtsied, before skipping out the door again. Just as Serenity approached her twin, the kneeling dressmakers stood up and stepped back, checking the length of the gown Serena wore. They looked at Serenity for her approval.

"Yes, that's lovely, thank you. That is all for now."

As the dressmakers left, Serenity waited for Serena to change back into her first gown. She heard her twin call out from the bathroom.

"Hey, what's the deal with that Aria kid? Isn't she like… a little young to be working in the palace?"

Serenity smiled at the thought. "Aria is a special case. She was brought to us as a little girl a few years ago. When she was around six, I believe. She was found wandering around the town, abandoned, and when the townsfolk couldn't find her parents, they brought her to my mother, to ask her what to do next. The poor dear had nowhere to go, and couldn't remember what had happened to her parents, or her, up until that point, in fact. So my mother took pity on her and housed her here in the castle, where she's been ever since. She gets bored, so the servants give her a few menial tasks to keep her busy."

"Huh," Serena emerged from the bathroom. "Bet she's got a lot of problems with a past like that."

Serenity gave her a sad smile as she took the dress from Serena's arms. "Yes, I remember she did have trouble settling in at first. I think she had an imaginary friend for quite some time too. I don't remember the name though, and it was pretty sad, watching her talk about a girl that wasn't there. We don't bring it up nowadays though, so be careful that you don't either."

"Sure, sure," Serena batted a hand dismissively. "So what's for dinner? I'm starved!"

* * *

_That did come off as a bit of a 'fluffy' chapter, but there is a bigger picture, so keep that in mind! Action will kick up again soon :)_

_xx_

_Carmen_

_PS - as a side note, I just put up a poll on my profile page about your favourite story, so don't forget to vote! It gives me ideas of what story type you seem to like best (so I can write more for the "audience" you see :))_


	6. Engagments

**AN: **Hello everybody, thanks for the reviews! Sometimes, if I get all giddy about one, I'm very tempted just to post the next chapter straight away, so I can get more XD But then I'd feel like I have no willpower when it comes to Saturday ["Warped Posting Day"]. I'd also like to mention that the day the last chapter was posted, I went to see Taylor Swift in concert and it. was. AWESOME! Truuuuue story ;)

**Disclaimer:** Some funky reason why I don't own any of the Sailor Moon characters. Aria is all mine though!

* * *

"Serenity, what's that in your glass?"

Serenity, who had been sipping at her water, blinked and lowered the glass slowly.

"Pardon?" she switched to her right hand for better inspection and squinted through the clear liquid. "Nothing."

But Sailor Venus' eyes were fastened on her left hand. "Why are you wearing a ring on a very significant finger, hmm?"

Sailors Mars and Jupiter snapped their heads towards their princess, and Sailor Mercury glanced at Endymion.

"Are you... _engaged_?!" Sailor Venus shrieked. Sailor Jupiter yelled in excitement as Sailors Venus and Mars lunged for Serenity's hand. When they had successfully turned the plain silver ring upright, more squeals and shrieks were made. Serena clapped her hands over her ears and ducked.

"Oh my word!" Sailor Mercury smiled to herself, staring at the glinting diamond. "That is a beautiful ring."

Endymion sat back in his chair with raised eyebrows and Darien suppressed a grin. It was pretty funny watching the Scouts lose themselves for a moment, and the Generals were high-fiving each other. Venus was first to recover.

"But why did you wear it like that? Why didn't you tell anyone?!" She spun to Endymion. "And you! How could you not tell us! What's wrong with you!? We were going crazy before, not knowing! Of course, now that we know it was Serena we were with…"

Sailor Mars returned to her seat. "Yeah, have you got some brain cells loose?"

Serenity glanced at Serena beside her and put her hand on Serena's comfortingly. "They can get a bit excited sometimes," she explained apologetically. Serena nodded, eyeing the Scouts. That was only the understatement of two centuries.

No one moved as they waited for Serenity to speak, so Endymion jumped in to save her. "We had planned on telling everyone as soon as possible, but once we came back to the Palace and had the whole impersonation fiasco last night... I mean, there's already so much going on, we were going to wait until the bustle died down."

Sailor Jupiter put her hand over her heart. "That is so beautiful," she sighed dreamily. Nephrite looked at her like she was crazy.

Serena peeked at Serenity, who was smiling sadly at Endymion. "Looks like the secret's out now, darling."

Serena lowered her eyes. Serenity should have been ecstatic. She was getting married! It had to be one of the happiest moments in her life, and she'd kept her news quiet because of her and Darien. The guilt began to eat away at her.

Dinner was served and everyone chattered away happily. Serenity made polite conversation with Darien about how he was finding the Palace, whilst Endymion watched Serena. She was pushing the food around on her plate. When some time had passed and it was acceptable to leave, Serena stood up.

"I think I might just go for a little walk before bed, if you don't mind."

Queen Selene opened her mouth, but Endymion beat her to it.

"I will accompany you," he said. The others seemed satisfied with this, as it meant they could stay for dessert, and Darien watched as Endymion lead Serena through the door. Where were those two off to?

xXxXx

"So are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Endymion asked as he walked behind Serena, who was once again enchanted by the roses. She looked up.

"What?"

"It's never good to bottle your emotions up." He rapped a fist on his chest. "It's better to get it all out in the open; you'll feel better once you talk about it."

"I'm fine." Serena gave him a funny look. "What makes you think there's something wrong?"

Endymion chuckled as he looked at the ground. "If you are anything like your past self, I would think I know you pretty well. There has never been a time when my... _fiancé_," he smiled at the word, "has refused food. And you hardly ate a thing."

Serena stood up at the word _fiancé_ and began walking again.

"Well, maybe I'm just not hungry," she suggested lightly. "I mean, I have been through a time void. That thing practically crushes you."

She reached a hedge wall and turned to him. "What is this for?"

He reached for her shoulders and steered her a little way away, revealing an opening. They stepped inside and Serena exhaled in awe.

Water flowed from several small ponds as they circled the space, the trickling sound creating a peaceful background lull. Silver-tipped roses bloomed from every shrub, spaced evenly apart and filling the place with their heavenly perfume. The Earth could be seen from above, so close that Serena could hardly believe it was real. But the moon looked so far away when she stood on Earth!

Serena spied a white marble bench in the centre of the garden, and two wooden swings hanging nearby. When she glanced up to see what they were connected to, it appeared as if they were hovering in mid air…

She tiptoed towards them and yanked on the nearest one; it didn't budge. She shrugged. That was good enough for her.

Serena lowered herself onto the seat cautiously, and when she didn't fall, she relaxed. She looked up and caught Endymion staring at her.

"What?" she asked, feeling self-conscious. He smirked and looked away.

"Nothing, it's just that you're exactly like Serenity."

"Well I'd have to be if I'm her future self?" That was entirely guesswork though. Endymion nodded thoughtfully anyway.

"So what is it about my engagement that bothers you?" he asked seriously, coming over and sitting on the other swing.

_Well that was pretty blunt._ Serena rocked on the swing, the little movement distracting her momentarily. "It's... It's not your engagement that I was upset about." She looked up quickly. "I mean, you're just Darien from the future! So it's not like I care if Serenity has bad taste or not… I mean, he's alright looking, but his personality sucks. Yours is much better. I think I did well in this lifetime. I mean, I could have married a total-" She blushed as she realised she was babbling and stared at the ground, not meeting his eyes. It wasn't like she was jealous or anything, but how could she explain her feelings to him if she couldn't unjumble her thoughts as it was? "But why did you feel the need to hide the fact that you were engaged? Why wasn't Serenity excited?"

"Serena, Serenity was excited. Very much so. In fact, that's why it took us so long to come back, she had to control herself for the public. Royalty aren't allowed to act so... Serenity-like."

Serena nodded, although the guilt didn't lessen. "But you still hid it from us all."

"We were focusing on finding out who you and Darien were at first, and then on trying to save you. If Serenity and I hadn't come down to see you, you realise you would have been executed by now, right?"

"What?" Serena gasped, startled. Endymion nodded.

"And Serenity suggested that we should keep quiet until things with you and Darien were okay. You were both in quite a bit of danger, you know."

A tear escaped Serena's eye, and she quickly brushed it away. "That was so... Serenity is so nice!" she spluttered. "She shouldn't have done that! Yesterday should have been one of the happiest days of her life, and it was ruined because of me!"

Endymion reached a hand out and turned her swing around to face him. "Serena, she's _you_. You seem to keep forgetting that. You would have done exactly the same thing if it had been Serenity and I turning up in your palace."

Serena frowned at the thought. Her in a palace? No way. More like in class with Miss Haruna. Endymion sighed.

"Whatever you're feeling guilty about, please don't. Nothing was yours or Darien's fault. In fact, if anyone's to blame, it's Sailor Pluto." He grinned. "She could have at least warned us you were coming, or you'd have ended up dead."

Serena smiled faintly. "So you and Serenity aren't mad? You don't hate us for ruining your moment?"

Endymion barked out a laugh and Serena jumped. She wasn't used to the man showing that much emotion. "You are _exactly_ like Serenity!"

Serena hit him on the arm and paused as she realised something.

"Oh my god!" she yelled, causing Endymion to freeze and look at her in alarm. He stood up quickly and looked around.

"What? What's wrong?"

"YOU'RE ENGAGED!" Serena shrieked, gazing up at him in wondrous eyes.

"Yes..." Endymion looked at her like she was slow. "Because Serenity is..."

"No, but YOU'RE engaged! Oh my god! Congratulations!" Serena jumped up and hugged Endymion, who returned it just as fiercely. Serena almost let go as she realised this was what hugging Darien might feel like, but dismissed it quickly. Endymion was much kinder than Darien; surely they weren't the same person.

xXxXx

Darien followed the sound of excited laughter as he rounded the corner and came to a stop. At the end of the path was a secluded area, and he could just make out Serena jumping up and hugging a tall, dark figure. Endymion.

As he crept closer, he watched as Endymion wrapped his arms around the petite blonde, together making the perfect picture of intimacy. He clenched his fists as a surge of jealousy shot through him. Why were they hugging? Why were they off in some quiet corner of the garden, instead of in the middle of the path where they could be seen? Why did that stupid Meatball Head have to go around, infecting everyone with her 'bubbly charm'? Why didn't anyone see her the way he did – just another person? Everyone she met, she had instantly wrapped around her little finger. They'd only been here two days, and already she had thawed his blasé past self. Something he'd yet to do completely.

The hot surges of jealousy continued to shoot up and down Darien's spine, and he stood rooted to the spot in confusion. _Why do I care_? Darien snarled mentally. _Let them love her. She'll mess things up again soon enough. Then they'll realise what an airhead she is. _He looked back up to see Serena plonking herself back on the swing and kicking her legs as Endymion walked around her and began to push her. This was the last straw for poor Darien, and he stalked off.

xXxXx

_Knock knock. _

Darien woke up in his large bed as agitated as a fresh-out-of-hibernation bear. He hadn't slept well at all that night. Stomping to his _en suite_, he splashed his face with cold water, trying to cool himself off. After quickly changing into the first outfit from his closet, he opened his door to reveal Nephrite waiting for him. Together, the pair made their way down to breakfast, where peeling laughter and mad giggles could already be heard.

Darien rolled his eyes. Serena could be such a child sometimes.

"Nephrite, Darien!" Serena grinned when they walked in. "Look at this!" She picked a grape off from the stem in front of her and tossed it in the air, opening her mouth and moving her head to catch it. When the grape hit its target and landed on Serena's tongue, Serenity clapped.

"Well done! You picked that up so quickly! Are you sure you've never done that before?"

Serena shook her head enthusiastically as she chewed and swallowed the grape. "Nope!" She turned to Darien. "Hey, wasn't that cool?"

Darien snorted. "You look like a pig when you do that."

Jadeite, Sailor Jupiter, Serenity and Nephrite sniggered at Serena's shocked expression, thinking it was back to their usual bantering, but the others remained still. Sailor Mars didn't need her planetary powers to sense the tension between the two, and Sailor Mercury wasn't the Scout of Knowledge for nothing. Zoisite glanced at Malachite, who was already looking at Endymion.

Endymion frowned.

Darien sat moodily through the rest of breakfast, which passed remarkably quietly as everyone ate their food silently. Once everyone began clearing out, they discussed what they were to do for the day. Endymion turned his attention to Darien.

"Are you up for some more training?"

Darien nodded. He really needed to work off his agitation. They walked through a series of short corridors until they arrived at the weapons room. Darien immediately picked up the biggest sword he could see and turned impatiently to Endymion, who was carefully selecting his own.

When they had their weapons, they brought them to the adjoining room, which was small and circular. Perfect for one-on-one sparring.

Darien lunged for an attack, but Endymion blocked it quickly, covering his surprise. Endymion knocked Darien's sword back with his own and twisted his wrist to go for an undershot. Darien leaned back and the sword missed.

For fifteen minutes straight, Darien and Endymion fought nonstop. There was much jumping and ducking, weaving and striking, clashes and clangs, grunts and curses. Finally, Darien dropped to the ground, panting heavily.

Endymion, who looked the picture of ease, stood over him. "Lesson number one," he reminded him. "Know your weapon." He lifted his sword up for inspection, turning it this way and that. "If your sword is too heavy, you will lose energy much faster than if you were using a lighter one. You will tire easily and lose the fight if you use one not right for you."

Darien turned his head and stared at the sword beside him. Now lying beside him, gleaming in the light, he could see what Endymion meant. It was _huge_.

"Fine," Darien spat. "I'll get another one."

Endymion shook his head. "No, I think that's all the training for you today. You seem a little distracted."

"I'm not distracted," Darien disputed, trying to get to his feet. Maybe Endymion _had_ noticed he was out for the kill.

Endymion held out a hand. "If you're angry about what you saw last night, I can assure you, nothing happened. Serena just had a little misunderstanding about Serenity's engagement."

Darien wiped the sweat from his eyes and looked up at Endymion, squinting up at the light.

"I caught you leaving once our conversation was over, and I can only guess what you saw that agitated you so." He wriggled his fingers and Darien grudgingly took the offered hand. Endymion pulled him to his feet.

"So you had better start thinking up a really good apology," he advised, leading the way back to the weapons room. "Because after this morning, I don't think Serena's all that impressed with you."

xXxXx

"He's such a jerk!" Serena brought her fist down on the grass. Serenity looked on in sympathy. They'd come to Lake Serenity for some quiet fishing and then maybe some swimming – Sailor Jupiter had suggested the great outdoors - but Serena seemed incapable of consoling, and that was scaring away the fish. The Scouts looked up from further down the bank to see her ranting once more, and went back to their fishing.

"Are you still bothered by what Darien said to you this morning?" Serenity said. Serena blew her fringe from her face.

"Yes! You just can't see it! He really is a total jerk. He may look nice to you, but I know better. I know he's a stuck up little snot inside." She glanced at Serenity's hair. "You know, he makes fun of this hairstyle back at home. He calls me _Meatball Head_." She said the words with distain.

"Really?" Serenity asked, surprised. "Because I haven't heard that nickname yet. Is that insulting in your time? What's a meatball anyway?"

Serena had to pause her rant as she nodded, realising that he hadn't said it as often since they'd gotten there. Maybe it was an Earth thing; maybe it was a jerk thing. Or maybe it was just a Darien thing, trying to get her to lower her guard so that he could pull a trick on her later. Embarrass her in another time space, that'd be so _typical_ of Darien.

"Would you like to know what I think?" Serenity asked, interrupting Serena's thoughts. Serena scowled at her, but she continued. "I think that men in general are just crazy. They're so confusing! All the time! They want this, and then they want that, then they realise they don't know what they want, so they start fighting with another man. It goes on!"

"But not Endymion," Serena pointed out. "He's not like that."

Serenity giggled. "No, I got lucky with him. And you have too, with Darien. You just don't know it yet."

"Not bloody likely," Serena muttered, going to cross her arms, but tangling herself with the fishing rod. Serenity gave her a look and said,

"You'll see. He's not the arrogant _snot_," she smiled, "that you think he is. Just give him a chance."

When Serena eyed her sceptically, Serenity threw her hands in the air. "Trust me, by the next time you see him, he'll be completely over it."

Serena sighed and slumped against a nearby tree, exhausted by the conversation. "All right, but if you're wrong, you owe me a vanilla milkshake."

Serenity nodded, then paused. "What's a vanilla milkshake?"

* * *

_I see you watchin' me, watchin' you, baby. Not really. I don't even like that song. Actually, I have no idea why I thought I'd put that in there. Anyway, review, favourite story, favourite author, whatever! XD_

_xx_

_Carms_


	7. Strolling

**AN:** Well, here it is! Saturday! Best day of the week - and as it is known to Carmen-chan... **Saturday Posting Day**! Hooray!!! I'm about 5 hours late, but I went to a yoga workshop today. Am so chilled and relaxed right now! Also, if you're feeling like checking up some groovy music, fellow FFer, JoFlake gave me the link to a cool myspace band a few chapters ago (and I've kept forgetting to AN-pimp it!). It's www(dot)myspace(dot)com/asleeplessmelodymusic

**Disclaimer: **Sailor Moon isn't mine. And thanks to Kaitlyn Fall for betaing!

* * *

"You're such an idiot," Sailor Mars snapped to Jadeite as he tried to recount tales of his apparent 'bravery'. Sailor Mercury shook her head at their conversation before returning to her own with Zoisite. They were debating whether star alignments had anything to do with prophecies made on Earth. Zoisite insisted all Terran royalties received visions when the stars were aligned north to southwest in the sky – Sailor Mercury disagreed.

Sailor Jupiter and Nephrite were arm-wrestling on the dinner table, and it was hard to tell who was winning – both had faces strained in exertion. Sailor Venus and Malachite were talking intently about their favourite battle strategies, being the leaders of their respective guards.

Serenity and Serena sat at opposite sides of the table, with Serenity purposely planning it so; claiming she hadn't sat with her fiancé in quite some time. When Serena had begun to argue, Serenity had just pointed to her chair and told her to sit. Serena only obliged after the authoritative ring in her past self's voice.

When Darien and Endymion entered, freshly bathed from their sweat-inducing day of trainings, Serenity excitedly signalled for her fiancé to sit beside her. Darien had no choice but to sit next to the huffing Serena, and decided now would be the best time to make his apology, before dinner got too unpleasant.

He turned to the blonde, who refused to look in his direction. "Hey, Meatball Head," he grinned, hoping to lighten the mood. He saw her purse her lips, and changed tactics. "Serena," he began seriously. "I'm sorry for what I said this morning. Sorry that I said you looked like a pig. I was just pretty peeved this morning, and I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

He waited, but she didn't acknowledge that she'd even heard. Well fine. He'd tried, and it was her problem if she couldn't accept his apology.

He was just about to turn away when Serena jumped in her seat, almost as if someone had kicked her in the leg. Hard. Darien missed the look Serenity shot at Serena as she replied,

"Apology accepted, jerk." She didn't say it spitefully though, so he figured she meant it. Darien plucked a grape from the bunch in the bowl in the middle of the table and held it out for her.

"Want to show me your little trick again?"

She eyed him suspiciously for several seconds before deciding he meant it. She uncrossed her arms and took the grape from him, smiling despite herself. "Ready?" she asked. "You gotta watch the whole time, okay?"

Darien nodded and Serena tossed the grape high above them. He watched as it made a spectacular arc in the air before beginning it's decent.

Darien burst into laughter as the grape landed on Serena's eye and tumbled off the side of her face. She looked at him and frowned. "Well it was working before! You just ruined it, that's all. You put me off my game, jerk."

Darien reached forward and patted the hand she had resting on the edge of the table. "No problem, Meatball Head. Glad to know I have an effect on you."

The moment his hand came into contact with Serena's, a jolt of electricity passed between the two, and Darien removed his hand swiftly.

"Did you feel...?"

"No," Darien disputed quickly. Serena shut her mouth.

Both missed the triumphant look on Serenity's face... But someone else did.

"Don't even think about it," Endymion muttered quietly.

"But don't you think they're so adorable together?" Serenity whispered back, watching the pair.

Endymion shook his head. "You're just saying that because they're us."

"Exactly!" Serenity enthused. "Which means you know how perfect they are for each other. Honey, don't you want to bestow on Darien the same happiness you have from being able to call me yours?"

Her fiancé frowned. "Don't try that approach on me, Princess. Just let them come together on their own; you know it'll happen."

Serenity pouted as she leaned back in her seat, allowing the maid that had just scuttled in to pour her drink. "Well fine."

But Endymion was one step ahead of her. "And don't try to rope the Scouts in either. I know what Matchmaker Venus is like."

Serenity's face looked like it was about to permanently etch her pout into her skin, so Endymion reached a hand up and rubbed his thumb soothingly over her cheek. "If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. If not, at least they had one life time together."

Serenity sighed as a server placed a plate of fish –freshly caught that afternoon – in front of her.

She knew in her heart Serena and Darien were destined for each other.

xXxXx

It was decided that Serenity and Endymion's engagement would be announced at the next ball – which was to be held in a little over a week. As all those in the Moon Palace rushed around preparing for the celebration, Serena watched in amazement as the palace transformed before her very eyes.

"I thought that last ball, the night we arrived –" she shivered remembering how it had ended, "– was supposed to be the announcement of your engagement?"

She looked over at Serenity, who was by the vanity brushing her hair. Serenity giggled. "Well, it was. But since Endy and I never made it back in time, and then there was all that commotion with you being intruders and possible enemies, there really wasn't much time."

"So people are still left wondering why they dressed up for nothing to attend a ball where apparent criminals were exposed?"

Serenity had to put the heavy silver brush down, she was laughing so hard. "You think they were not entertained by the spectacle you made? It's called drama, darling!"

Serena scowled at her and snatched the brush from the table. "No more brushing for you, it makes your head go funny."

There was a knock at the door, and Serena answered it. Aria grinned sheepishly up at her.

"Oh," Serena said, surprised. "Hi. Do you have a message for us?"

The girl blushed and dug her shoe into the maroon carpet. "No," she admitted. "I was wondering if I could stay with you guys for a while. All the maids are either working or sleeping, depending on their shifts, and I sort of… um… don't worry." She turned to leave, when sympathy welled up within Serena. This girl probably had no friends her age in the palace, and she was fairly close to Serena's age as it was. Serena opened the door wider.

"Sure, you can come in and hang with us," she said, giving a friendly smile. "We're just having a little girly chat."

Aria turned to her hopefully. "Really?"

Serena laughed. "Sure, why not?"

Aria joined them and together, they both admired Serenity's ring, giggling as she recounted the story. It was after ten minutes or so, when Serenity was getting to the part about how the palace guards wouldn't let them in at first, when there was another knock on the door.

Serena got off the bed and opened it, revealing two identical men. It took her a moment to realise it was Endymion standing before her, and not Darien. She stepped back to allow him in. He was followed by his double, who was wearing the exact same outfit, signifying his royalty.

Whilst Serena and Serenity had similar dresses, only differing by their coloured hems, Endymion and Darien wore the only royal attire from Earth, so it was difficult telling them apart...

But Darien's constant smirking at Serena gave him away every time.

"I wonder if perhaps I could steal away my fiancé for a short while, and take a stroll with her in the gardens?" Endymion asked as he swept into a low bow. Serenity giggled and looked at Serena, as if asking for her opinion. Serena nodded, then paused.

"Wait, you don't mean…?"

"The gardens await, Princess," Darien drawled in her ear.

Dammit.

"Sorry Aria," she apologised. "We'll have to do this some other time."

The girl nodded, her dark hair bouncing around her. "That's okay. Thank you for letting me in," she smiled, curtsying quickly to the two princes and dancing out of sight.

Serena returned her attention to Darien, rolling her eyes and holding out her arm, which, remembering from her lessons with Serenity, was the protocol of accepting a man's company. Darien, who had also taken etiquette lessons with Endymion, wrapped her hand around his arm and they circled towards the door.

When the two couples reached the gardens, Serenity and Endymion immediately turned left, taking the path that would lead them to the secluded area with the swings. Serena sighed in envy. They were so perfect together.

She and Darien turned right, and the minute they were out of view, they dropped their arms by their sides. Serena admired the glossy carnations and glittery tulips whilst Darien was content to just watch her.

"Why do you do that?" he asked as she leant down in smell another blossom. "You do it to every flower, I don't get it. They all smell the same, don't they?"

Serena gave Darien an exasperated look. "You know, you're always so cynical and sarcastic. Why do _you_ do _that_?"

Darien mocked a shocked expression. "Wow! Cynical _and_ sarcastic in the same sentence! Those are big words, Meatball Head. I'm proud of you."

"Shut up, Darien. And don't call me that!"

Darien laughed and wandered off further down the track, walking away from Serena so that she'd have to catch up. She kept pace with him easily though, and this bothered him. How could he tease her if she made it hard to make fun of her?

"When you think, you do this with your face." She grabbed her own and smushed it everywhere with her hands. "It makes you look pretty ugly."

"Ha!" Darien laughed. "You don't even need to think to look like that, but when you do, it only makes your face looks worse."

"Oooh," Serena taunted. "Good one, Ugly!"

"Thanks, Miss Hideous."

"That wasn't very original," Serena commented.

Darien shrugged. "Neither was yours."

Serena tapped her nose. "Yes, but I'm good-looking, so people can overlook that fact!"

Darien kicked a loose pebble on the path. "So you admit that you've noticed people like you for your looks and not your brains?"

Serena clenched her fists and they turned steadily white. "You know, you _always_ pick on my grades, Darien! So if you're gonna keep it up, even while we're stuck here, well, well..."

"Well?" prompted Darien when she continued to splutter.

"Then you're a big fat jerk!" she finished, shouting. Darien burst out laughing and Serena thrust her nose in the air, stomping away from him.

"Oh come on, Meatball Head!" Darien had to jog to keep up. "You know it's all in good fun!"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Serena shrieked without looking at him. "And it's not in good fun! YOU try being on the receiving end of snarky comments from a bully and see how YOU feel!"

Darien stopped laughing. "You're not serious, are you? Me? Bullying you? Ha! Never heard a more ridiculous thing in my life." Serena sniffled and Darien paused. "You _do_ know I tease you for fun, right? It's never anything serious."

"So that's what I am to you?" Serena asked sadly. "Just your source of entertainment? Your daily tormentee?"

"Hey." Darien reached out a hand and gripped Serena's shoulder. She wrestled from underneath his hand, but he quickly overpowered her, spinning her to face him. Darien almost stumbled back in shock. She was crying?!

_Where did that come from? One minute we were making fun of each other, the next she's bawling her eyes out!_

"Serena, what's wrong?"

"Like you don't know!" she spat back. Darien stilled.

"Are you upset by my comments?"

She nodded furiously and he was appalled. "Really? They actually hurt you?"

Serena shrieked and ducked out of his grip, storming past him back towards the palace.

"Hey, hey, hey! Whoa, hold up! Are you serious? Serena, I don't mean to hurt you, surely you know that?"

"Darien, I don't care what you've got to say anymore," Serena sighed tiredly. "I'm so over you being hot one minute and cold the next. You snapped at me this morning, and apologised at dinner. You've ruined a perfectly nice walk by telling me I'm dumb, and by breakfast tomorrow, you'll be normal again. And I don't want to put up with your bipolar crap anymore, okay!?"

She had barely taken her second step when Darien gripped her wrist, trapping her. She tried to shake her hand free, but he refused to let go.

"Look at me," Darien said. "Look at me!" he ordered when she didn't. Serena flinched when he'd shouted and looked up with scared eyes. Darien immediately felt guilty and softened. "I'm sorry, Meatball Head. I'm really sorry about the way I turn out when I'm with you. I really can't explain it."

Serena scoffed, but he continued earnestly. "I think I've treated you pretty unfairly since we met. I always thought of our little fights as... well, pretty much verbal sparring. And sure, I couldn't stand you much when we were back home, but now I'm starting to understand your point of view. I'm not a tyrant, I'm not a bully. But if you see me that way, I'd like to make it up to you. Start afresh."

"Shut up, I forgive you."

"What?" Had he heard right?

"I don't want to fight with you here anymore than I did back on Earth. So I'm willing to be your friend. But be warned." Her eyes went cold. "If you screw up one more time, just _one_ more time, then I will never speak to you again. Got it?"

The logic was there, but most of her proposal went over his head. He was quick on the uptake though. "Sure, Meatball Head, anything."

Serena gritted her teeth. "And _stop_ calling me that!"

"Right, right. Sure. So, do you want to keep walking, or shall we head back?"

Serena gazed longingly at the path that led further into the gardens, biting her lip.

"We'll keep walking then, shall we?" Darien offered. Serena gave him a small smile and started forward.

"Yeah, you can show me where that transportation dock is that Serenity was telling me about. She says we're going there tomorrow morning and…"

Their voices trailed off as they wandered further into the garden.

It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

_

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_

You know what? Maybe I should start posting twice a week. Saturdays and Wednesdays. What do you guys think? Let me know! XD

_xx_

_Carmen_


	8. Missing

AN's this week will be posted at the bottom. Thanks to Kaitlyn Fall for beta-ing, and thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I love hearing what everyone thinks of my stories! And here's a special shoutout to Railway Station, because without her constant encouragement on LJ (add me!) and Twitter (add me!), I'd probably be a little slacker or slower with the writing...

**Disclaimer**: I haven't done these in a while.... Oops. The only character in all this Time Warpedy-ness that belongs to me is Aria.

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* * *

_

"That can't be a girl," Darien deadpanned as Sailors Neptune and Uranus stepped out of the transportation pod. The blonde looked about as feminine as a tree... and she was in a _skirt_. Serena elbowed him, but it was too late. Sailor Uranus narrowed her eyes at him.

"What did you say, _boy_?"

"You look like a bloke," Darien stated bluntly as the intimidating Sailor Scout from Uranus stalked up to him. Sailor Neptune, who was alongside both, placed a soothing hand on her companion's arm as Sailor Uranus balled up a fist.

The blonde counted to ten slowly in her head and let the anger drain from her being, just like Sailor Neptune had taught her.

"I'm trained to kill," she settled for, her eyes hard and unblinking.

Darien raised amused eyebrows. "Wow; death by she-male? Wonder what that's like!"

Serena pushed the raven-haired man out of the way before Sailor Uranus could bring out her sword. "Hi, I'm Serena, Serenity's future self!"

"Holy sh-"

"It's lovely to meet you," Sailor Neptune stepped in swiftly, cutting off Sailor Uranus.

"You look just like her! Unlike your arrogant little friend here." Serena was suddenly crushed as the tall blonde's arms circled her and she was trapped in the middle of a bear hug. Darien watched on, unimpressed.

When Serena gave a pathetic wheeze, the Scout let go and stepped back, grinning. "You and I are going to get along just fine, little one. It's going to be great having two Serenity's running around. Although," she peered around the room for the girl in question. "Where's the Serenity from this time?"

"Right here," a breathless voice said as she darted into the room, hitching her dress up as she ran. "Uranus! Neptune!" She dashed to the couple and hugged them tightly, forgetting all protocol. "You're here!"

"Well we certainly wouldn't miss the chance to see your double, now would we?" the beautiful Scout of Neptune said, smiling.

"And where is little Saturn? Did she not travel with you?" Serenity asked, noticing the missing person.

Neptune shook her head. "No, I'm afraid something came up and she had to stay on her planet. She wishes you well on your," she lowered her voice, although there was hardly anyone in the room who didn't already know. "_engagement_."

Uranus stepped up again. "So, where am I staying? Because I am telling you now, I will not be sharing a wing with this guy." She jerked a thumb at Darien, who rolled his eyes.

"You get the Scout quarters of course!" Serenity laughed. "I doubt that mother would put you anywhere near the Generals again after last time..."

Sailor Neptune put an ashamed hand to her face as Sailor Uranus grinned. "Oh yeah. That was a great little incident, wasn't it?"

"So you'll be coming to tonight's ball?" Endymion asked as he entered through the same door Serenity had just moments before. "It's good to see you both again, by the way."

"Oh, yes!" said Serenity. "Please say you're coming to the ball! Please Uranus!"

Sailor Neptune nodded as her partner grumbled an agreement. "We shall be there with bells and whistles, isn't that right, darling?"

"Whatever. At least this time we get to go in uniform. I hated wearing those dresses!"

Darien burst out laughing at the mental image of Sailor Uranus wearing a dress and she shot him a filthy look. Endymion shook his head subtly at Darien behind the Scout's back. Darien got the hint.

"So let Serena and I take you to your rooms!" Serenity said, grabbing their wrists. "I think we all need some time to get ready for tonight, don't you? After all, you've travelled over half the solar system to get here." She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you've got jetlag by now."

Darien and Endymion watched as the four girls began to leave. Suddenly, Sailor Uranus turned around and spoke to Darien in false sweetness. "Oh, darling, would you be a dear and hook up the transportation pod for us?" She giggled in a mocking way and pulled the door behind her.

Darien and Endymion exchanged looks once the door closed with a 'snap'.

"Did I _not_ warn you not to make any comments about Sailor Uranus?" Endymion sighed, walking up to the vessel.

"You never said she'd be so masculine!"

xXxXx

"Announcing her Royal Highness, Princess Serenity of the Moon and Princess Serena of the Moon."

"Why don't we get introductions?" Darien muttered under his breath as he stood beside Endymion at the bottom of the grand staircase. Standing where he was had to be the biggest déjà vu feeling he'd ever experienced, and he remembered all too well how it had ended last time. He'd got thrown in actual _dungeons_ and was nearly _executed_.

Looking up at the stairs, he caught the eye of the descending Serenity, who winked playfully at him before resting her gaze on her fiancé beside him. Right beside Serenity floated Serena, as she matched each step perfectly with her double –either Serenity was rubbing off on the klutz, or her subconscious was beginning to rise to the surface. They both wore the signature white gown of the Moon Princess, but Serena's had a faint pink tinge to the bottom of the hem, separating her from Serenity.

Darien suddenly felt the sensation that he was being watched – which made no sense, since there had to be at least thirty or forty people looking at him. When the hairs stood up on the back of his neck, and a shiver made its way down his spine, he turned his head, subtly trying to catch sight of the onlooker.

Serena reached his side and cleared her throat, bringing him back to the present.

"Oh, right." He held out his arm and she took it, just as Serenity took Endymion's beside them. He felt her bracelet cool against his skin.

The pairs made their way to the thrones, where Queen Selene stood, waiting to make her announcement.

Serena didn't understand why she and Darien had to be there, since it was Serenity and Endymion's news, but nevertheless, she was grateful to be included in the celebration. Queen Selene smiled at her before speaking to the audience.

"Ladies and gentleman, fellow Lunarians and guardians of the solar system, I bear great news. An alliance shall soon be formed between the planet Earth, and the Moon."

Murmuring broke out as soon as Queen Selene had paused, and she waited until it died down before continuing. Some women in the front of the crowd looked excitedly between Serenity and Endymion, already figuring it out.

"This alliance shall come in the form of marriage."

The hall echoed as one, collective gasp was made. Once again, Darien felt like he was being watched, very, very intently.

"Let the celebrations begin!"

xXxXx

"Don't you think we make a cute couple?" Serena asked as Darien twirled her around. Darien blinked. Did he hear that right? Him and Meatball Head? Together? When she was back in his arms, he asked,

"What?"

Serena nodded over to Serenity and Endymion, who were dancing nearby. "I guess we were quite in love back in the day, weren't we?"

Darien watched as Endymion pulled Serenity closer and whispered something in her ear. She giggled loudly and whispered something back. "Yeah, I guess we were," Darien murmured. They continued dancing as they watched the other couple for several more silent moments.

"Imagine if we were like that!" Serena suddenly mused, laughing. Darien's eyes slipped from Serenity and Endymion to hers. Blood rushed to both of their cheeks as they realised what she'd said. They didn't speak for the remainder of the song, and when the music finally ended, they gladly parted, clapping along with everyone else.

"Okay, that's enough," Serena panted as she pulled herself out of Darien's arms and off the dance floor. "Please, no more dances."

"Oh come on Serena, you can't be tired already?"

"Darien, we've been dancing nonstop for the past hour. I want a break! Now go do something useful and get me a drink."

"I'm not your slave," Darien groaned, before his eyes caught sight of the brilliant red-haired woman he'd been avoiding for the said past hour. Truth be told, he hadn't wanted to stop dancing because he was afraid she'd ask him. And she was scary.

Her deep purple gown looked severely out of place in the room, as it was incredibly low cut and had a daring plunge to its neckline. Not at all modest like Serena's gown.

Very early on, Darien had been aware that it was her eyes he could constantly feel on his back, but had no idea why. The look she was giving creeped him out a little bit too, which was pathetic. He could just picture Sailor Uranus voicing her opinions. _Be a man_, she would say.

Darien straightened and did just that.

"All right," he sighed to Serena, disappearing into the crowd. Actually, the drink was just a cover; he was hoping to lose the red-haired woman's attention. Maybe she'd see Endymion and stare at him instead. That _was_ why she was looking at him, wasn't it?

Serena watched in confusion as Darien waded through the dancing couples, supposedly to the drink table. Trouble was, he went in the entirely wrong direction. What was up with him? She turned to head to the balcony, feeling some fresh air would cool her off, when someone stepped on the back of her gown, jerking her back.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she apologised to the woman, even though it wasn't her fault. Well, what could she say? _Excuse me, you're on my dress, could you please get off?_

The woman smiled at her, revealing very white; and very pointy teeth. Serena would have stepped back if she could, but the woman had yet to get off her gown.

"Congratulations on your engagement, your Highness." She gave a small curtsy, which seemed almost mocking to Serena.

"Oh, actually I'm not..." She trailed off as the woman laughed loudly at her.

"Do you know, I have been just _dying_ to meet you for quite some time, my dear? What do you say we step outside and have a quiet chat?" Though she was smiling politely, there was something in her eyes that Serena didn't like. She tried to discreetly tug the dress out from under the woman's foot.

"Actually, I was just getting a drink," she said.

"Nonsense! Endymion can bring it outside; he will know where to find you!"

Serena bit her lip.

"Perhaps I might be able to sway you in the promise of showing you a secret spot on the balcony that overlooks the rose garden?"

Serena's mind ticked over. "All right then," she agreed. "But we won't make it too long; I think I'm up for a bit more dancing."

The woman in the purple gown stepped off her dress and led the way to the balcony, with Serena directly behind her.

"So what did you say your name was again?"

The redhead leered into the darkness. "You can call me Beryl."

xXxXx

Darien politely excused himself from a very interesting conversation with astronomers from Mars as he saw Princess Serenity glide past. He jogged up to her and caught up.

"Sorry Serenity, but have you seen Serena around? I haven't seen her in a while, is she with you?"

Serenity smiled at the thought of Darien missing Serena. "No I assumed she was with you, but I shall keep on the lookout for her. Weren't you dancing with her just half an hour ago?"

Darien shrugged sheepishly. "Well, yeah. But I went to get us some drinks, and when I came back she wasn't where I left her. I assumed she'd gone off with you or one of the Scouts. But it's fine, it's fine. I just have a funny feeling, that's all."

The princess pursed her lips. "Yes, I have the same feeling." She laughed. "I'm probably just being silly. It's not like anything bad has happened. I'll just go ask the Scouts. Maybe she's with them."

Darien nodded gratefully, and decided maybe he should ask Endymion or the Generals. He passed by a harried Jadeite, but he was too preoccupied with getting Mars her drink before she 'fried' him, and Zoisite was in the middle of a deep conversation about star alliances' and comets.

As Darien passed the young girl they'd encountered on their first day on the moon, he stopped to ask her.

"Uh, hey, Aria, wasn't it?"

The girl stopped and turned suspiciously to him, before seeing who it was and rearranging her expression.

"I beg your pardon, your Highness," she curtsied. "Yes?"

He felt a bit stupid, asking this kid if she'd seen Meatball Head, like some parent enquiring after a lost child.

"You haven't seen Serena by any chance, have you?" He scratched his head nervously.

Aria looked thoughtful. "Yes, a while ago, I did. She was right over there about ten minutes ago," she pointed towards the base of the stairs. "I can't remember who she was talking to, though."

Relief broke out on Darien's face. He gave her a smile and thanked her before rushing off in the direction she'd given him.

But five minutes later, he still hadn't seen her. He sighed and realized he'd have to ask Endymion for help. He spotted the prince nearby and zig-zagged through the crowd to get to him. Endymion watched curiously as he approached. Again, feeling like a bit of a moron, Darien scratched the back of his head.

"Hey, uh Endymion? You haven't happened to have seen Serena, have you?" Darien quickly added, "I just thought I'd check up on her in case... in case she was stuck talking to someone really boring."

Endymion almost smirked at the cover up. So Darien liked Serena, did he? Well that would make Serenity happy... Wait, what was that?

He frowned. "You mean she's not back get?"

"Why, where did you last see her go?"

Endymion quickly recalled his last memory of seeing his fiancé's future self. "She was heading outside with Lady Beryl about half an hour ago, I believe. Didn't she come back in?"

"But I just… I…" Darien felt cold, plummeting dread. "Who's Lady Beryl?"

Endymion shook her head. "Don't worry about Beryl, she's fine. She's from Earth, like ourselves, and an important and loyal contact of the Terran Royalty. But if no one has seen Serena since then... Most of the guards are inside the Palace tonight, so there isn't much protection outside."

Darien's eyes widened. "I'm going to check out there, okay?"

Endymion grabbed his wrist to stop him leaving. "I'll come with you; I don't like this for some reason." The pair made their way quickly to the double doors that would lead them to the gardens below, grabbing the Generals as they went. When Mars began to follow Jadeite, the other Scouts caught on and Serenity was swiftly ushered with them, remaining in their protective care.

Darien half-walked, half-ran outside, torn between which direction to go. The group immediately split up once they were aware of what was happening, and in groups of three, they searched for Serena.

It was only after a few tense minutes when Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mercury and Nephrite called out. Endymion, Darien and Serenity dashed to the trio as fast as they could. Surrounded by the others, Sailor Mars knelt by the ground, gently prying something pinky-white from a thorny bush.

"What is it?" Darien asked as soon as he arrived, trying to see.

"Isn't that part of Serena's gown?" Sailor Jupiter asked nervously. Everyone stared at it for a few seconds before panic settled over the group, like a haunting fog. When Sailor Mars ignited fire above one of her fingers, they followed the darkening path, pointing out drag marks or footprints that occasionally appeared. When the marks suddenly stopped, the group were stumped.

"Which way should we go now?" Malachite asked, stepping forward, eyes wary as he glanced at the fork. It was useless to split up into two groups now, not when they were so far away from the palace, and in so little light.

Suddenly, Serenity cried out and pushed through her circle of protectors, stumbling towards the left path. She fell to her knees and stuck her hand in a thorny bush, pulling out a shiny object.

"What is it?"

"What has she got?"

"Serenity?"

The group surrounded her as she knelt on the ground, hugging the object to her chest dearly.

"Sere," Endymion put a hand on her shoulder. "What did you find?"

The Moon Princess looked up with tears streaking down her face. With trembling hands, she showed her friends what she'd found caught in the bush.

"But... That's _your_ bracelet," Sailor Venus pointed out. "What is it doing out here?"

It was one of Serenity's most cherished possessions, and she'd never allowed anyone but herself to wear it. Drawing in a shaky breath, Serenity breathed out the words no one wanted to hear.

"I leant it to Serena tonight. She was the one wearing it."

Darien recalled the feel of it, cool against his arm, earlier that evening.

Everyone seemed to be suspended for several beats before they all snapped into action.

The Scouts were first to react. "We've got to get you out of here, Serenity."

But Serenity shook her head and clutched at Endymion's hand, which was still on her shoulder.

"No," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Tell my mother first," she instructed. "And then alert the guards. I think Serena's in trouble."

* * *

_Well isn't this suspenseful? Mwahahaha! Maybe I should tell you now I won't post for two weeks? I'M KIDDING! I'd never do that to you all :) On some happy news, I am almost finished with my next-next fic (as in the next fic is complete, so I'm almost TWO ahead!), which should be done by either tonight or tomorrow night, and you can read all about it in my updates on my profile. And sorry everyone, I have decided to post only once a week as it keeps me ahead with the writing, and just because Saturday is really the only day I can keep consistent on. But don't worry! If the cliffhangers get too big, I promise to post the next chapter very soon._

_Have a great week everyone! Don't study too hard (think Usagi-chan style)!_

_Xo_

_Carmen_

_PS – on a totally awesome and random side note, I was researching Sailor Moon the other day for my English Assessment (hey! Can anyone think of a good SM episode in season 1 or 2 that exhibits lots of power? All I can think of is A Crystal Clear Destiny/Princess Revealed....) and I got distracted, as one does, and I was surfing through IMDB for goodness knows how long, and I came across Susan Roman, who voiced Sailor Jupiter in the English dub. Ironically, she also starred in a TV show called Time Warp Trio. Now does anyone else think that is a coinky-dink or what? XD_


	9. An Important Job

**AN: **Posting a day early guys since I'm sick and hoping for some reveiws to cheer me up

* * *

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

Serena groggily opened her eyes. It took several blinks and a couple of minutes before she could see, but even when her vision cleared, she couldn't see much. It was dark. Darker than the dungeon of the Moon Kingdom had been. It almost reminded her of the time void she'd been in.

But no, it hadn't hurt this much when she'd been in the vortex, had it?

A constant dripping noise echoed around the cave-like room. Whilst it wasn't exactly loud, with it being the only source of sound there, it amplified, stirring Serena from her half-conscious state.

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

As she came to, she realised how cold she was. Her body shivered, the action revealing a stiff kind of pain. She shivered uncontrollably again and she realised it was her wrists that were hurting.

She attempted to lift her head, but when that proved to be too heavy, she tried wriggling her hands instead. It was an effort, but she finally managed. Cold, metal cuffs scraped against her chafed skin, and with bone-chilling dread, Serena realised she was hanging by her wrists.

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

She struggled with what was left of her energy to break free, but it proved to be futile as the chains were just too strong. The more she struggled, the faster the dripping sound got.

_Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip._

Serena closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to take calming breaths. When her head cleared slightly, she felt aches all up and down her arms. Something trickled down from her left arm, making its way down her neck before dropping to the floor. With her stomach plummeting, Serena realised what was happening.

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

Oh god. She was going to die. She was hanging in a cave, by her wrists, and she was going to bleed to death.

xXxXx

"You need to relax," Endymion advised to his double, handing him a glass of water. "Being angry isn't going to get Serena back."

Darien clenched his jaw. Truth be told, he wasn't angry. He was _furious_. How could he not have noticed Serena's absence sooner? What was he, slow?

A loud clanging sound filtered through his mind, and when he brought himself back to the present, he realised he'd just kicked a suit of armour over. He quickly stumbled back, away from anything else he might destroy. Thank god it hadn't fallen _on_ him.

Malachite watched on silently by the door as one of his Prince's tore down the weapons room. He didn't interfere; he understood that Darien was mad. But still, he stood on guard, ready to protect his charge if he got himself hurt.

Even Jadeite sat silently on the floor, forgoing all normal comments and letting Darien vent in peace. He didn't know how he'd feel if Sailor Mars had been taken from him – of course, Sailor Mars could look after herself. Serena on the other hand was completely powerless and uneducated in the scenario.

"I can't believe how stupid I was!" Darien hissed as he kicked at a barrel of spikes. He lunged for the swords and unsheathed one quickly. "Fight me," he ordered as he spun around.

His blood boiled further when no one moved. "Fight me!" he roared. In frustration, he slammed the sword down on a wooden barrel and sank to his knees. "My god, Serena. Where are you?"

xXxXx

"Your Highness, Lady Beryl is here to see you. She insists it is urgent."

"Lady Beryl? Yes, yes bring her in, quickly." When the messenger rushed off, Queen Selene turned to Luna. "Luna, can you please retrieve the Scouts and the Generals for me? Make sure Serenity and Endymion are with them too. And bring Aria if you can find her, I have an important job for her."

Luna nodded and leapt off the throne, darting for one of the many side doors before disappearing through a hidden one. Queen Selene had just enough time to compose herself before a distraught Lady Beryl entered the throne room, crying heavily in her hand.

"My Queen, my Queen! I bring you terrible news!" Her sobs echoed around the room loudly, causing Selene to wince.

"Yes, what is it?" she leaned forward in her seat.

"Princess Serenity and I were talking, out in the gardens-" she threw an arm dramatically towards the windows, "- when all of a sudden, a black mist settled over us and... and...." She shrieked, burying her face in her hands again. Serenity and the Scouts slipped in through another door, which Beryl did not notice. "And I believe I fainted then, and I heard the Princess crying and screaming as she was dragged off by... by.... oh I don't know! I am ashamed at my weakness, and have come to beg your forgiveness for allowing the Princess to be kidnapped in my company!"

Darien, Endymion and the Generals entered silently from behind the Scouts, and arrived in time to hear the tail end of Beryl's theatrics. Darien did a double take when he saw the red headed woman from last night crying in the centre of the room. "That's not Lady Beryl is it?" he whispered in disbelief to Zoisite in front of him, who nodded.

Darien clenched his jaw. The entire Palace was on lockdown, and no one inside was allowed to leave, but they let this... _witch_ in? Darien didn't like it.

"I don't believe you!" he declared loudly, stepping forward as he did so. Queen Beryl's face whitened when her eyes landed on him, and Queen Selene stood up quickly.

"Prince Darien, that is irrelevant. The fact that Lady Beryl remains to be the only link we have to finding Princess Serena must be considered and highly valued. We should be grateful to hear from her at all. However-" She turned suspicious eyes back towards the redhead. "How come I was not informed of this last night, when the incident occurred?"

Beryl was still staring in shock at Serenity when she realised she'd been spoken to. Thinking quickly, she replied. "Well, I… Your Highness! I was distraught! I hadn't gained my bearings and I was scared. I apologise for leaving abruptly, but I feared for my life too, should the kidnapper come back!"

Queen Selene nodded, not entirely satisfied, but as she had no further proof, she had to let Beryl go. "Very well then, you may leave. Thank you for your information."

Lady Beryl was staring intently at Serenity again, noting how close she stood to Endymion.

"Did you have something to ask Princess Serenity?" Queen Selene asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Princess... Serenity? You mean the princess I was with last night was not her?"

Serenity shook her head and stepped forward, not letting go of Endymion's hand. "She is a... distant relative, Serena. I can assure you that I am alive and well."

If it was possible, Beryl's face seemed to drain even more colour. Her eyes glued to Serenity and Endymion's clasped hands, she hastily curtsied and stalked out of the room.

The minute the door slammed shut behind her, everyone turned to one another and began talking at once.

"Did you find that a little suspicious, Nephrite?"

"Was that weird or what?"

"I don't trust her either, Darien."

"Why was she staring at you? Didn't she realise she was with Serena?"

"But Aria had _seen_ Serena, not ten minutes before we'd found out she was missing. That's a pretty small timeframe for a kidnapping."

"Aria wasn't at the party, Darien. She's too young."

"Well she could have slipped in; you know how a ball could be pretty exciting for a youngster like her."

"But Jupiter, she would have had to get in first."

"Yeah, but the maids have ways, you know that. There're nooks and crannies everywhere! A secret door for every day of the week in this castle."

"Well why don't we ask her?"

"No, she'll be scared that she's in trouble!"

"Silence!" Queen Selene demanded, raising a tired hand. The group fell into a hush immediately.

"Mother, what do we do? With all the guards protecting the palace, there's hardly anyone to look for Serena!"

Sailor Venus slipped her arm around Serenity's shoulders. "We'll find her, Sere. And when we do, someone is going to pay!"

"But what if it's someone from _inside_ the palace?" Sailor Mercury asked fearfully.

"I am preparing for that as we speak," Queen Selene assured her.

Just then, the door opened quietly and Aria slipped in. Queen Selene smiled and beckoned the young girl towards her. Everyone watched as she almost ran to the throne and hastily curtsied.

"Aria," the beautiful queen began, before pausing. Everyone waited with baited breath. "I have a special and very important job that I need you to do."

"Me?" squeaked the girl, gulping.

Queen Selene nodded. "Yes." She paused again. "But it will be dangerous, and it's vital you don't get caught. Are you willing to do so? It is all right if you say no."

Aria's chest swelled in pride. "It would be an honour, your Majesty."

The Queen smiled softly at the tween's bravery and leant forward in her seat, speaking quickly and lowly. "I need you to be a spy on the inside of our palace walls. Find out if anybody knows anything about Serena's disappearance last night, if any of the workers are looking suspicious or nervous, anything. I am asking you because no one would suspect a small girl to be on the lookout." She smiled. "After all, children are curious, are they not?"

Aria nodded, her dark hair bouncing in the light. Queen Selene leaned back in her chair, relieved. "Thank you, my dear. You will report to me any suspicious behaviour you find at once. If you cannot reach me directly, pass the information on to Luna or Artemis and they will give it to me."

Aria nodded again, her head reminding Darien of those bopping head dolls. "Very well," Queen Selene smiled warmly. "You are free to go. And thank you, once again."

Aria left quickly, dashing out of the room and Darien asked the one question on everyone's mind.

"So what do we do now?"

"Now we wait," Queen Selene sighed, resting in her throne.

xXxXx

"Do you think she's okay?" Serenity asked as Sailor Venus brushed out one of her buns.

"Of course she is, Serenity. You mustn't think anything bad has happened or you'll just get yourself in an unnecessary worry!"

"I can't help it," Serenity frowned. "She's probably only out there because she was mistaken for me. Did you hear what Lady Beryl said? She thought she was talking to Princess Serenity, which means whoever took her almost certainly did too!"

"Breathe," Sailor Mercury said.

"I can't believe we have to sit around here waiting for some sort of ransom note or news, when we could be out there helping find her!" Sailor Mars said, crossing her legs on Serenity's four poster bed.

"Well we certainly can't leave Serenity here on her own," Sailor Jupiter disagreed. "Not when there are creeps running around trying to kidnap her. She's just as unsafe in here as she is out there, only with a little more comfort."

"And if we went out to look for Serena, who would protect Serenity?" Sailor Mercury agreed.

"You guys seem to keep forgetting that Serena and I are the _same person_. Why should you care more about me than her? Because you've grown up with me? Because you've sworn to protect me? My life is worth no more than hers. She's me! She shouldn't even be in this mess." Serenity covered her eyes. "By growing up with me, you've grown up with her too, just a long time ago. By swearing to protect me, you've sworn to protect me in all forms, including past, present and future selves."

"Well we can't help both of you," Sailor Jupiter said sadly. "So right now, our main priority is keeping you safe. When we get wind of Serena, then we can worry about her, all right?"

"Fine," Serenity heaved, realising her argument was over. "At least I can have some comfort in knowing that Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus are out there searching for her too..."

xXxXx

"Why couldn't the future Endymion just look after her in the first place?" Sailor Uranus snapped, kicking a twig lying on the path. "Is it that hard to keep an eye on such a little person?" She turned to Sailor Neptune, who was carefully searching the path for any clues. "She'll be all right though, won't she?"

Sailor Neptune smiled at the caring tone. "She'll be all right. She's Serenity, isn't she? One tough, tiny monster with a strong will."

Uranus started for a glint of light, then realised it was only the sun hitting a drop of water on a rose. "Yeah, you're right... I'll bet she's giving her captors hell right now, hey?"

xXxXx

Serena opened her eyes as much as she could, but her limited strength meant she was only treated to a small sliver of view. There was a little more light now, but she was too out of it to recall any shapes or figures.

_Drip._

She had lost so much blood as it was, hanging by her wrists with long cuts down her arms. Whilst the infuriating sound of the dripping blood had slowed to a dull background noise, Serena also knew that meant she didn't have much time left; she barely had any energy.

She wished she'd eaten something yesterday – or however long ago it was. It was so hard to tell how long she'd been unconscious for.

Sharp clicking from down a long corridor pierced her ears, breaking the silence of her mind. Serena blinked, but when she opened her eyes again, time seemed to have passed.

Through the haze, Serena could see a bright colour directly in front of her. Lots of it – although she was too out of it to recognise which one.

She felt a searing pain across her forehead as long, sharp nails raked across her skin. Serena didn't have the energy to scream, or even to move, so she hung limply, silently in pain as the clawing continued.

"So you're not the one I want," a familiar voice hissed. With renewed vigour, Serena tried again to see past the fog of her mind and focus on her captor. Her vision cleared slightly and she was able to see long, white teeth leering at her hatefully.

"But not to worry," the voice continued. "I'll give you your due, anyway."


	10. Dead or Alive?

**AN: **Still sick guys, and the last chapter was a bit angsty, so here's another! Some drabbles will be out sometime later today. Show me the love.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Sailor Moon, but I do own Aria ^_^ Thanks to Kaitlyn Fall for betaing!!!

* * *

"So do you think it's true, Moira? Do you think the Moon Princess really had a secret twin, just in case she was to be kidnapped?"

The royal family had been incredibly hush-hush since the mysterious appearance of the second Endymion and Serenity last week – and even more so in the last few days since one of the Serenitys was kidnapped.

"I don't know, Sarah," Moira whispered back. "But you had better keep your voice down; I heard there are guards and Scouts everywhere looking for people who might know something. If they hear us talking about Princess Serenity..." She trailed off nervously, glancing around them.

"Come on; let's just fetch the water quickly. I don't like how still and quiet it is out here."

The two servants hurried down the road that lead to Selene Falls, the main water source for the Moon Palace. They bypassed the withering flowers and cut through the bends in the road, trying to stay outside as little as possible. The sooner they were back inside the palace, the better...

"Here," Moira passed her pail to Sarah. "I'm just going to keep watch while you gather the water. Tell me when you're done and we'll head back, okay?"

"Sure, okay." Sarah shook her head as she took the pails down to the edge of the water. Moira was getting pretty paranoid lately. She was about to duck down and fill up the pail when a flash of white caught her eye. She stared at it for a long while before deciding to actually take a look at what it was. It was no water lily, that was for sure.

She crept towards the mysterious colour, which looked strangely like a piece of fabric, floating in the shallow end. Inhaling sharply, Sarah fell straight to the ground as she fainted, the pails clanging loudly beside her.

"Sarah?" Moira asked nervously, eyes darting between the forest, the road and the flower fields. When her friend didn't reply, the brunette turned around. "Sarah? Sarah!"

She rushed to the aid of her friend, who lay on her side in the dirt. "Sarah, Sarah can you hear me?" she asked loudly, shaking her friend by the shoulders. She reached over and rolled her blonde friend onto her back. "Sarah, wake up! What's wrong?"

She reached for a pail and started to stand up to get some water when she saw the same thing that Sarah had.

But Moira didn't faint like Sarah had. No. Instead, her eyes were glued on the battered and bruised form of the Moon Princess.

Moira screamed and screamed, her bloodcurdling cry resounding all the way up the path and to the guards who stood by the garden exits.

xXxXx

"They've found her!" Aria panted as she sprinted into the dining hall, where everyone was trying to enjoy breakfast. It had been three days of tense meals and limited conversation, so the minute Aria had burst into the room; everyone was on their feet in seconds. "They're going to bring her up through the gardens I think!"

Plates and cutlery were abandoned as the group of eleven rushed through to the balcony overlooking the vast gardens. The back of a guard could be seen running out of view, and Darien cursed at their late timing.

"Where's he going?" he demanded to Endymion.

"He's going to see mother," Serenity realised, darting from the group before anyone could stop her. She and Darien were running neck and neck towards the throne room, bursting through the doors together just as the guard they'd seen burst through another. Queen Selene looked up, head snapping between the two doors in alarm.

With urgent but graceful movements, she stood and looked towards Serenity expectantly. Serenity, out of breath, pointed towards the guard.

"The body has been found," he declared in a shaky voice. Serenity and Darien felt their stomachs drop to the marble floor. Body? Why did he say _body_?

"Serena!" Darien choked, hands flying to his head. "My god, is she all right?"

Three heads swivelled towards the guard and he shrank under their intense stares. "I don't know. I've got three men bringing them back now."

"Them? How many bodies did you find?!" Sailor Venus demanded as her and the others arrived, breathless.

"It was two servants from the kitchens who found her," the guard said nervously, gulping. He hoped they remembered the time old expression _don't kill the messenger_.

"Hold the doors open!" a booming voice yelled from behind the terrified guard. He quickly obliged and another guard entered, carrying a blonde bundle.

"Who's that?" Darien demanded. "That's not Serena!"

The guard looked up. "No, this is one of the servants. She was the one who first found the body. She will need to be treated for shock, I'm sure. She is just unconscious, to the best of my knowledge."

Again with the word _body_! And what the hell did he mean, "shock"?

"Where's Serena?" Serenity pleaded, teary-eyed.

The guard indicated the way he'd just come. "Two men are bringing her as we speak. Shall I take this one to the medical wing?"

Queen Selene nodded tensely. "Yes, immediately. Thank you."

The guard did a small bow, as best he could holding the unconscious girl, and hurried off. The first guard stood holding the door open as crying could be heard echoing down the hall and bouncing off the walls. Every occupant in the room tensed as it grew louder and louder, drowning out the heavy footsteps with it.

"The other servant, your Highness," a thin and stocky guard informed as he dragged forward a small brunette, clearly beyond distressed.

"Oh my," Queen Selene murmured, pointing down to the same door the other guard had just used. He nodded curtly and rushed off, leading the girl behind him. "You might want to be prepared," he warned as he ducked through the door.

Sailor Jupiter reached for Serenity, holding her back forcibly by her shoulders as both Malachite and Endymion gripped Darien's upper arms.

Two sets of heavy, thunderous boots could be heard, stomping closer and closer as the seconds ticked by.

Not that they realised it, but every single occupant of the room –including the guard by the door- was holding their breath. The agony of the wait threatened to burst Darien's heart, and it looked like Serenity was doing no better.

A thickset guard entered, sword drawn and held steadily in front of him as he eyed his audience. Stepping aside, he motioned for the other burly guard to move forward.

A collective intake of breath was made as the Scouts, the Generals, Serenity, Endymion, Darien, Aria, the guard and Queen Selene laid their eyes on Serena. Serenity struggled in Sailor Jupiter's grip, and Sailor Mars had to lend her strength, holding her back as well.

A strangled cry escaped Darien's lips as he saw his archrival from Earth lying limply in the heavily built guard's arms. Her white gown was no longer white, instead a sickening mix of several shades of red; brilliant crimson being the most visible. It was tattered and in shreds, revealing wounds which had crusted over with blood. The small amount of skin that wasn't drenched in blood was a deadly pale white, and her lips were colourless.

Sailor Mercury and Zoisite rushed forward, and everyone once again held their breaths as they checked for Serena's vitals. Serenity collapsed under Sailor Jupiter and Mars' hands from the stress, and she crumpled to the floor.

"She... She's... She's alive!" Sailor Mercury cried in a shaky voice, feeling the barest of pulses in Serena's wrist. "But just barely!" She turned to Queen Selene. "She must be cared for immediately – we don't have time to waste."

Selene nodded and Zoisite and Sailor Mercury sprinted to the doors, leading the two guards and Serena away.

Darien let out a shaky breath and raised a quivering hand to his face, wiping across his eyes. She was alive. She was okay.

For now.

"Wha... What happened?" Serenity murmured, squinting through the bright lights to see the Scouts hovering over her in worry. "Oh my Selene, is Serena okay? Is she alive? Is she... Is she...?" Her eyes widened when no one answered her.

"She's alive," Endymion reassured her, letting go of Darien and reaching for his fiancé. "But only just."

Serenity burst into tears in Endymion's arms and he picked her up, carrying her out of the room.

"We can go see her though, right?" Darien asked. Queen Selene shook her head gravely.

"No. She must heal before anything else. You may go as far as the doors. If you enter the ward while she is still unwell..." Her eyes flashed dangerously and Darien got the message.

"Take me to her," he pleaded, turning to the Generals.

They lead him away silently, and Darien felt like he was stuck in the middle of a procession at a funeral. No one spoke, no sounds were made. Just heels clicking on the marble floor, and a sombre mood eating away at them.

xXxXx

"Tell me," Darien commanded once Endymion had entered the drawing room. Endymion had disappeared hours ago to hear from the servant girls how and where they had found Serena.

Endymion turned to Darien seriously. "Do you really want to know?" he asked with a grim expression.

Darien didn't even have to consider it, no matter how horrible the story would be. "Yes. Tell me everything."

Several minutes later, as Endymion was finishing what he'd been told by Moira and Sarah – who was now awake, but slightly shaken – Serenity snuck in. She closed the door quietly behind her and made her way to a cushy chair.

Darien couldn't speak, for the lump in his throat was growing bigger and bigger by the minute.

"So she was hidden in reeds by Selene Falls?" Sailor Venus asked incredulously, seriously disturbed by the idea.

"Dumped in the shallow water?" Sailor Mars asked, swallowing hard.

"My god!" Darien finally managed to choke out, the image in his head beginning to torture him all over again. "Stop! We heard it once, isn't that enough?"

No one opened their mouth, aware of how close to a nervous breakdown Darien was. The fire crackling in the hearth was the only sound for a long time, as the group sat still in the drawing room. No one moved, and if someone shifted in their seat, all eyes turned to them. There was a squeak outside the door, but Darien was too preoccupied with his thoughts to realize.

Serenity was the first to break the silence.

"Endy, how bad is it? Will she recover?"

"Sere!" Endymion looked up at her in horror. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough to get the gist of what happened. But tell me, honestly. How bad is it?"

Endymion stared at her grimly before replying. "She lost so much blood that Zoisite and Mercury aren't sure she can generate more in time. Her heartbeat is too slow to work with our medicines."

"But don't you guys have transfusions? Can't you find out what her blood type is and test us all until someone matches? Actually… Serenity would definitely match, why don't we use hers?"

"Transfusions?" Nephrite asked. "As in transferring blood?"

"Isn't that a little dangerous?" Sailor Mars added, frowning.

"When you say blood type, you mean her hereditary, don't you?" Sailor Jupiter inquired.

Darien stared at them all in disbelief for several seconds before exploding. "Oh for god's sake! Are you THAT behind in technology!? Don't you know the Rh factor? Matching blood types? O? A? B? AB? No? Oh my GOD!"

"Darien, calm down," Endymion advised, watching his future self rant about the advance of science and modern medicine. "You have to remember we're a thousand years behind your time - you've developed far ahead of us."

"I don't want to calm down!" Darien shouted, picking up a book and throwing it into the fire. "I want to know that she's okay! I want her to be safe and healthy again! My god, this place you live in is hell! She'd be safer at home! I wish we'd never gotten stuck here in the first place!"

Darien threw another book in the fire and Serenity looked down guiltily.

"Please don't say that. Please tell me you didn't mean that."

Darien spun to her in anger. "Of course I did! I hate it here! As soon as Serena gets better, _if_ she gets better, I'm taking her home with me. I don't care how we'll do it, but we're going home. We'll find this 'Pluto' you've all been on about. And she'll take us home to Earth in 2010. And Serena will be fine!"

Darien stormed out of the drawing room, leaving a frightened silence in his wake.

* * *

_So I don't think Darien's having a nice vacation, how about you? ;P_

_xx_

_Carmen_


	11. Making Room

**AN:** I can't wait until the last three chapters, guys - the best cliffhangers yet to come! I hope you're enjoying the story so far XD Still a few chapters to go. Don't forget to review!

**Disclaimer:** I own Moira, Sarah and Aria. No Sailor Moon. Many thanks go to Kaitlyn Fall for betaing!

* * *

Darien paced outside the entrance of the room Serena was in. The heavy doors stood there, mocking him, taunting him to go in and see her. But he remembered Queen Selene's warning, and didn't dare to. She must have had a good reason to ask him to stay outside the medical wing – maybe, maybe there wasn't anything they could do, and she didn't want him to see her deteriorating? Or maybe they didn't have disinfectants here, and only a few people could go in, or it was like some royal morgue, or….

It was dark, probably very late into the night, but he didn't care. He continued to pace in the shadows, waiting until he could go in. There was no moonlight filtering through the glassless windows, since he was_ on_ the moon, but there were hundreds of thousands of stars shining their fragments of light down on him, which was a small comfort.

He couldn't believe how bad Serena had looked. The image kept playing over and over in his mind, torturing him, killing his sanity. Flashes of her bloodied corpse, her dress, ripped in shreds, her pale skin, passed his eyes. He was going insane, waiting for her to be okay. Why, he could even swear he'd seen a flash of dark curls, which was impossible. The whole palace was asleep.

He'd had practically no sleep in the last week. He couldn't believe that she was finally back, and so close; and yet he could not get to her.

He growled at the doors, which continued to taunt him, simply by being there. He didn't know how much longer he could wait. He had to see her. Who cared what the Queen's reason was. To hell with her!

Spinning in determination, he grabbed one of the golden handles. Before he could twist it open, however, he heard something.

A small, quiet sound. So soft that in daytime, it would have been missed completely. But in the dark of the night, with no other sounds to interfere, Darien's ears could pick it up easily.

His eyes searched through the shadows, trying to find the culprit; the owner of the footsteps. He was edgy; his lack of sleep had made him that way. Darien was just about to call out angrily to the intruder when a whisper stopped him in his tracks.

"Darien?"

He struggled in vain to glimpse the speaker in the gloom. But he already had an inkling of who it was.

"Darien," the voice whispered again, much closer now. Serenity stepped out of the shadows and tiptoed up to Darien, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly.

"Wha-?"

"Shh," she soothed. "She'll be okay. I promise."

"She's not waking up," Darien said, voice cracking.

"I know. She's lost a lot of blood, that's to be expected."

"I'm going to kill whoever did this to her!" Darien declared fiercely. Serenity shushed him again and he fell silent.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, lowering his voice to an acceptable level.

"Don't even think about it, Serenity," a voice warned. Serenity gasped and looked up at Darien with wide eyes when she realised she'd been caught.

She spun to Endymion.

"But I have to! What if she doesn't wake up? What if she _dies_?"

"Then that will be our loss, but you are not to use the crystal to heal her."

"Why not?!" Serenity hissed, her hands flying to her hips. "I am a wielder of the crystal, and so is Serena. As owners of the Silver Im-"

"You are _not_ to use it!" Endymion growled. "That is not what it is for."

"What the hell is going on!?" Darien demanded as loudly as he dared.

"I'm trying to save myself and my fiancé won't let me," Serena snapped.

Endymion took a step forward. "Give it to me, Serenity. Give it to me and go back to bed, or I'll tell Selene and you'll have to answer to her. You are not putting _your_ life in danger by using that amount of power, in order to save hers."

Darien turned hard eyes to Endymion. "How can you be so uncaring? Serena is DYING in there and all you can care about is a stupid crystal?" He held out his hand to Serenity. "Here, give it to me and I'll do it. I don't care what the consequences are." He glared at Endymion.

Serenity shook her head and Darien growled at her. "Why not?"

"Only members of the Lunarian Royal Family may be able to wield the crystal. At least, in what I intend to do."

She turned teary eyes to Endymion. "Endymion, Endymion listen."

"No! Give me the crystal; I swear to Selene you're not using it! You'll only accomplish putting yourself in danger"

"Endy." Serenity began to cry. "Imagine if it was me lying in there. Imagine if it was me dying."

Darien was about to point out that it _was_ Serenity in there dying, but one look at Endymion had him keep his mouth closed. He was listening.

"If Serena tried to heal me with the Silver Crystal, and you were in Darien's position, would you really want to stop her from saving me? Would you be comfortable living the rest of your life knowing that you killed your soulmate, even if she wasn't yours at that time?"

Serenity drew in a shaky breath and Endymion's eyes softened, his jaw unclenching just slightly.

"If it were me in there Endy, you would try to find a way to save me. I know you would. So this is you saving me now. Will you or will you not stand by and watch as I die, even if it's not _me_ right now?"

Endymion looked like he was about to cave, so Serenity pushed him that little bit more. "I promise not to use the full power of the crystal. I know my limits; I know how much I can handle before it gets dangerous."

Darien was only just following the logic, but his past self's shoulders sagged.

"All right," Endymion whispered, reaching forward and embracing Serenity. She cried silently into his chest for a few moments, getting herself together. When she drew away, she reached up and kissed him on the mouth. "Thank you," she whispered shakily. "You will one day realise what this means to you." She looked over at Darien.

Endymion nodded and turned her to face the doors. "Go," he instructed quietly. "We'll keep watch."

Serenity disappeared into the room and Darien and Endymion both straightened, eyes sweeping the hall. Darien thought he could hear quiet talking coming from inside, but figured it was just his imagination.

He glanced tensely at his double. Endymion was already looking at him. Darien didn't know what to say, but was saved when Endymion spoke first.

"I'm sorry about that," he said. "But the crystal is very important, and if it was used for the wrong things..." He inhaled deeply and shook his head, a small wry smile playing on his face. "Well, it wouldn't end good for any of us if Serenity or Selene were out of the picture."

Darien nodded once, accepting his apology. He was too busy worrying about Serena. Would she be okay? Would she suffer from trauma or shock? These things could never be told until the person woke up. If this had happened to her back in their time, they would have had doctors on hand at a moment's notice. It only fuelled his desire to go home more.

It was at that moment that Darien decided, _should_ they ever get home, that he would go into medicine. _He_ would be a doctor. He would save lives and treat people from all kinds of injuries. And then he could know what to do if the situation ever arose again.

A bright flash of white light shone under the doors and the two princes of Earth glanced down. The light disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, and seconds later, a hushed, relieved laugh could be heard from inside.

"Better wait until Serenity comes out," Endymion warned, already knowing what Darien was thinking. "Serena might want a moment to wake up." Darien nodded, but the door was already opening. Serenity tiptoed out with a huge grin on her face. Her bangs were slightly damp and a light sheen covered her skin, so Darien assumed it must have been quite an effort.

She turned to him. "She's okay," she breathed, still smiling. "She's okay and she's...Thank the heavens, she's okay!"

She pushed him through the doors and closed them behind him, and Darien could hear the two talking quietly.

"Darien?" Serena's voice whispered in the dark. Relief surged through Darien like electricity coursing through his veins, and he strode quickly to her bed, just slightly illuminated by the pale light of the window.

She opened her mouth but she had no chance to say anything as warm hands cupped her cold face, his mouth suddenly crushing onto hers. Darien slammed his eyes shut as he poured all of his relief, frustration and longing into the kiss. Serena's brain took several seconds of shocked silence before it kick started again and she began returning the kiss, just as eagerly.

She could feel his desperation pouring into her, and she longed to release him from his pain. A low moan escaped her and he broke away, ending the kiss as abruptly as it had begun. He gazed at her eyes, glowing in the dark as he drew in ragged breaths. Serena was just as out of breath.

"My god," he managed to croak once his lungs had refilled on oxygen. "My Meatball Head, you're okay!"

Serena nodded mutely.

Darien reached forward with shaky hands to feel her face, her neck, her arms, her hands. Not a scratch on them.

"But how...?" He suddenly remembered Serenity's crystal and Endymion's reluctance to use it. "Oh," he breathed in realisation. Serenity had used _magic_. A magic crystal.

"Darien," Serena whispered. "What's wrong? Are you al-"

He crushed her in a fierce embrace and kissed her neck. "I'm so glad you're all right. When I saw you last week..." He trailed off, flinching at the memory of her blood-drenched state. "I didn't know if you would even be alive!"

"What happened?" Serena murmured, stroking his hair. Darien let out a relieved laugh, his breath tickling the back of her neck.

"Who cares about that right now? You're safe and sound, and that's all that matters!" He drew back, looking into her eyes. "Wait, are you in any pain?"

Serena shook her head. "Um, I hate to be a kill joy, but... What's going on? Why are you being so... Anti-Darien? So nice to me?"

If Darien had been a cartoon character, he was sure his jaw would have dropped to the floor in disbelief. "Serena, you almost _died_! Do you understand that? After all I went through, not knowing if you'd wake up..." He shut his eyes. "It made me realise how much you mean to me."

Serena inhaled sharply. Darien cared for her? Had she heard right? "Wha- what are you saying?"

"You know when they say that you can see your whole life flash before your eyes when you die?" Darien asked. "Well, my life flashed before _my_ eyes, and I realised how important you've become to me. Who would I fight with at the arcade? Who would I make fun of in the street? Who would I talk to more than my own best friend? You're my Meatball Head. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Serena mouth made a perfect 'o' shape. Was he confessing his feelings for her?

"Darien," Serena began, watching as his eyes opened slowly.

"Whatever you were about to say, please don't," he said. "Just, just let me enjoy your company tonight, let me know that you're the same old you. I thought I'd almost lost you back then."

"Darien, I - "

But what could she say?

"What _exactly_ are you saying?"

Darien reached for Serena's hand, lying limply on the bed, and squeezed it lightly. "Serena, I think I realised how much I like you."

"_Like_ like me?"

"I think Serenity was pretty spot on about the whole 'soulmates' thing," Darien grinned nervously.

"Soulmates?" Serena frowned. When had Serenity ever said that? Certainly not around her. "Wait, are you talking about love here?"

"Love, like; I can't tell. I just know that whatever I'm feeling for you right now, it's pretty damn strong."

Serena pulled her hand out of Darien's and he felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach. She wiggled on the bed, inching away from him. He couldn't believe it. He'd just confessed his feelings and she wanted to get away from him. He looked to the floor, swallowing hard and hoping his rejection wasn't too obvious on his face.

"All right then, I'll go. I'll come back in the morning with the others."

He took a few steps forward when Serena cried out. "Wait, why are you leaving?"

"Weren't you just trying to get away from me?" Darien frowned, although she couldn't see it in the dark.

"I was making room for you," Serena said softly. "Stay by my side tonight?"

He glanced back at the bed, where Serena lay on the edge of one side, leaving a large gap on the other. He looked at her face, she was watching him; waiting.

"You want me to stay the night with you?" he asked for clarification.

Serena patted the empty bed beside her. "Of course I do… if that's all right with you," she added, biting her lip.

Darien made his way around the side of the bed and sat beside her, leaning back on the piled up pillows behind them. Serena shifted closer to him and snuggled against him, and Darien felt bold enough to lift an arm and put it around her shoulders.

For the rest of the night, the pair talked quietly in hushed whispers and quiet giggles until at last, in the early breaking of dawn, they fell asleep.

A few short hours later, this is how Serenity and Endymion found them, fast asleep in each other's arms.


	12. Urgent

**AN:** I'm posting again guys because I'm starting to get impatient... I really want you to get to the juicy bits (aka the last three chapters). Anyhoo, there are six more chapters after this, so 18 in total if you're too tired to count ;) And since a few people have asked, I feel I should clear this matter up once again: this story is set BEFORE Sailor Moon and the Sailor Scouts existed back in normal time. That is to say, Serena and Darien hadn't even met the girls before being thrown into the past.

**Disclaimer:** I've been listening to some really great music lately. But I don't own that. Ironically, I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the included characters. I own more characters than you realise though! Mwahahahaha!

* * *

Whilst everyone was glad that Serena was okay – after a few small arguments about Princess Serenity's use of the crystal – they remained on edge. Whoever had initiated this attack was still on the loose.

During their first breakfast as a whole group again, the nervous atmosphere was beginning to weigh down on Serenity, so she suggested they all take the morning off and spend it out of doors. No one really wanted to agree, but Serenity was a force to be reckoned with; especially her puppy eyes.

Queen Selene watched as her daughter and her friends tramped through the grounds of the palace, mindful of the new boundaries she and the guards had set since Serena's kidnapping. Turning from the window, she sighed to her advisor.

"Luna, I have a bad feeling about all this."

"About what, your Highness? The picnic?"

"No," Selene murmured, shifting the curtain back over the window and stepping away from it. "I can't explain this feeling, but I fear that things will soon be changing."

Luna regarded this for a moment. "Has anyone heard from Sailor Pluto lately? She's been awfully quiet these last few weeks. Maybe someone should ask her."

Selene shook her head. "No, you know we must not disturb her unless something is vitally important, and if something was that critical, she would know about it beforehand and come see us."

Luna nodded once. "Yes. But perhaps Sailor Neptune and Uranus could see her? Just to make sure that she is keeping up with the timeline and everything."

Queen Selene pursed her lips gently as she considered this. "You're right," she admitted. "I know those two have been outside looking for clues from Serena's kidnapping, but maybe they'd like something better to do. You know they get on well with Pluto."

"So shall I send for them, your Highness?"

The silver haired queen turned back to the window, gently lifting the curtain from its place to once again watch her child. "Yes, I think you should."

xXxXx

"You lot go ahead," Malachite said. "We're just going to have a little wander of our own."

"What?" Sailor Venus asked, hands on her hips.

"Excuse us?" Sailor Jupiter said.

"Go ahead?" Serenity repeated, brows furrowing. "It's not a group picnic if we're divided."

Endymion knew his guard all too well, and highly doubted they were just going for a little wander. He narrowed his eyes from behind Serenity. "What are you really up to?"

The four men shook their heads innocently, but the synchronised gesture gave it away.

Darien stepped out from beside Serena and placed himself in the middle of the circle. His steady eyes held Malachite's for several seconds before Malachite dropped his gaze with a sigh.

"We were just going to go out and have a bit of a look for clues. With what happened to Serena…"

He gestured to the blonde, who paled at the reminder. Serenity reached out and took Serena's hand comfortingly.

Jadeite grinned at Sailor Mars. "Think you can handle this lot while we're away?"

Sailor Mars clicked her fingers and a fireball appeared, hovering above her gloved palm. "We've put up with you guys, haven't we?"

The Generals gulped and shared glances. "Look, we'll just be an hour or so; maybe a bit longer. The Scouts can protect you four for now. We'll see you later, all right?"

The four men bowed and turned down the left pathway – the one that lead to the fork where they'd found Serenity's bracelet.

Darien raised his eyebrows and glanced at the Scouts. Sailor Jupiter was rolling her eyes at Nephrite's back; Sailor Mercury was digging around in her sub space pocket, no doubt for a book; Sailor Venus was silently communicating with her eyes to Endymion, asking what they should do, and Sailor Mars was throwing wary glances around the garden.

Endymion broke the silence first. "Well, uh…." He scratched the back of his head. "You know, they're probably right. We should just keep going."

"Can we go to our secret hideout?" Serenity asked him quietly from under long lashes. "I haven't had Endy-Time in ages!"

"You had him all of this morning!" Serena laughed. Serenity shot her a look and she stopped, taking the hint.

"Oh, right. Hey, Darien, do you think we could have some quiet time? We still have lots to talk about." She gave him a meaningful stare.

Darien looked up at the Scouts. "It's up to your friends, Meatball Head."

Serenity squeezed Serena's hand and they both spun to the unprepared Scouts with identical puppy dog eyes. The four girls stumbled back from the sheer force radiating from the twins.

"All right, all right." Sailor Venus snapped. "But only because we love you both so much." She pulled a golden chain out of thin air and cracked it like a whip. "But trust me on this, Princesses. If either of you two step a toe out of line, you will be severely punished."

Serena giggled and Serenity shook her head minutely beside her. Sailor Venus' eyes snapped to Serena.

"Got something to say there?" she barked.

Serena stiffened.

"No ma'am, no."

Sailor Venus turned to her three comrades. "Jupiter will go with Mars. You two will follow Serenity and Endymion. Mercury, you're with me. Moving out!"

Serenity's hand left Serena's and grabbed Endymion's. Giggling, she began skipping away, pulling Endymion with her. Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter rolled their eyes and stomped after them.

"Great, they'll end up kissing the whole time," Serena could hear the raven-haired Scout grumble as they disappeared around the bend in the path.

Serena avoided looking at the orange and blue clad Scouts and glanced up at Darien instead. "Want to just go for a walk?"

Darien shook his head. "Nah, I have a better idea."

He took her hand, which made both of their hearts beat faster, and began tugging her towards the huge rose garden.

"Where are we going?" Serena said, faintly aware of the set of steps she could hear crunching on the gravel behind them.

"You'll see," Darien said mysteriously, which made Serena's blood boil. He wasn't trying to be irritating again was he? Because she could start! And –

"Oh!" Serena breathed. "I love this place."

xXxXx

A body kneeled against the cold stone floor in the dark cave, her long crimson hair flickering in the light of the flames. A lone figure stood behind her, watching from the cave entrance, but hidden in the shadows.

"Oh great ruler of darkness, I humbly beseech you. Tell me how to get rid of that moon brat and take Endymion for my own! I beg you; tell me how to destroy the Moon Kingdom!"

xXxXx

"And then when you called me Meatball Head in front of Andrew, I could have killed you!"

Serena thumped her fist on Darien's hard chest to prove her point. Darien reached up and held her tiny hand in his own.

"You were making me jealous, what else could I do?"

"Be nice?" Serena volunteered through narrowed eyes.

The pair were sitting on the marble bench in the secluded garden that Endymion had taken her to several nights ago. Serena had realised rather smugly that the Scouts had kept out, patrolling the perimeter rather than intruding on their private moment. Even Aria, who had stuck her head in, had been asked to leave.

"Excuse me, you threw a test paper at me. It almost hit my head! Who was being nice there?"

"Well, next time I throw a test over my shoulder, I hope it does hit you on the head. I hope it hurts very, very much." Serena sniffed and pointed her nose in the opposite direction.

Darien smirked and snaked his hands around her shoulders, hugging her to his chest. "You look so cute when you do that."

Serena blushed and turned under to his arm to face him. Wrapping her own arms around his middle, she snuggled into his embrace.

"I'm always cute, you should have realised that by now. But I'm glad you're starting to notice."

"Believe me," Darien said. "I've had a real eye-opening experience."

Serena wriggled slightly to look up at his face. He almost laughed at how small she looked in his arms. It was utterly adorable.

"You mean my near-death experience?"

"Yeah. It made me realise how much you mean to me."

"Oh," Serena said. "Well, after you kissed me, I…" She suddenly broke out into giggles.

"What?" Darien asked curiously.

Serena shook her head and continued giggling. Darien raised his arms. "I can always tickle you until you tell me," he said. Serena's eyes widened and she tried to back away.

"No, I'm sorry!" she squeaked.

Darien retreated.

"Are you going to tell me?"

Serena looked down and began mumbling something unintelligible.

"What did you say?" he asked, leaning in to catch her words.

Serena cleared her throat and began again.

"I said after you kissed me, I realised how perfect you were. For me. I mean, aside from the teasing and being mean part. But you know me inside out, you know what I like and what I don't, you're tall and handsome, you're already friends with Andrew, who's my friend..." She peeked up at him, biting her lip nervously.

Darien burst out laughing and reached down, holding Serena's face steady as his lips sought hers. Serena felt her hands creeping up his chest and around his neck. Her fingers worked their way into his raven locks and she sighed happily. When Darien drew away, it was only momentarily, before he rested his forehead on hers and gave her a crooked smile.

"Well I think you're pretty perfect for me Meatball Head."

"Aww! Dare-bear!" Serena cooed, closing the distance between the two for another soft kiss.

xXxXx

Serena and Darien entered the dining hall hand in hand later that night, after a whole day together. Serenity looked positively ecstatic at seeing this, and Endymion looked surprised.

"I told you we were soulmates," Serenity whispered to her fiancé. "We'll be together through time and space."

Two very grumpy Sailors followed the oblivious pair. Sailor Mercury's eyes whizzed over the table, immediately noticing the absences.

"Where are the Generals?" she asked quietly, pausing halfway through the doorway. Sailor Mars looked up from the table.

"We assumed they were with you keeping those two under wraps." She nodded to Serena and Darien, who was pulling a chair out mockingly for the blonde. When Serena went to sit down, he pulled the chair out completely and she fell on her backside.

"You jerk!" she snapped, slapping his arm. Darien grinned back.

"You love it."

"Don't worry," Endymion soothed over the table as Sailor Mercury and Sailor Venus slowly took their seats. "If they haven't returned, that probably just means they might have found something. You know what they're like on a hunt." He glanced at Sailor Mars. "Besides, I'll bet you right now that Jadeite is riling the others up like mad."

Sailor Mars sighed impatiently and flipped her long, dark hair over her shoulder. "That idiot. I'll bet he is, too."

A light rapping alerted everyone to the messenger by the door. Aria shifted uncomfortably, her eyes stuck on the pitcher of water in the middle of the table.

"Prince Endymion, the Queen requests that you see her immediately. She says it's important."

* * *

_I would love to say so many things here, but I don't want to ruin the surprises for you. But I will say something: this chapter is filled to the brim with ominous signs. Just look out for them from now on, okay? Actually, when this story is complete, go back to chapter one and read the whole thing again, and you will realise how clever I have been. Mwahahaha! - I really have to stop doing that..._

_Here's to a great week everyone. May you start your Monday tomorrow still grinning from this chapter. Hooray!_

_xoxo_

_Carmen_


	13. The Wand

**AN: **Posting a whole hour early (it's 11.18pm here, folks!) because I'm too pysched to wait to hear what you all think. Some people have been quite on the mark about certain aspects of the story, and it makes me grin. Here I include my standard disclaimer and of course my thanks to Kaitlyn Fall for betaing! I'm tired, so I'm off to bed. End **AN**.

* * *

It was a tense wait as Serenity, Serena, the Scouts and Darien waited for Endymion to come back. It had been ages since Aria had come and alerted him to see the Queen. They'd had a quiet dinner, and the moment Endymion had left, they'd all rushed to the drawing room to wait for him. No one spoke, and the only sound was the crackle of the fire and the bustle of the palace outside the heavy set doors.

After quite a long time, Endymion returned, looking slightly shaken, and very grim.

"Well?" Serenity demanded, half rising when she saw him enter. Everyone looked up at her outburst and realised he was back. "What did Mother have to say to you?"

Endymion's eyes searched her face, memorising her features. He couldn't say it to her. Not her. Instead, he turned to Darien and answered her question.

"Planet Earth has been taken over."

Nobody moved as Endymion's statement sunk in.

"WHAT?" Darien finally yelled, breaking the silence. Endymion nodded slowly, closing his eyes in pain.

"An unseen force just suddenly attacked, and they weren't prepared for it. They couldn't mobilise troops or get the planetary defences up or anything. They had no warning. It was powerful. And there's no one left. No bodies, no messages, not a trace. It's a barren land."

Tears prickled at the back of Serena's eyes, and she covered her mouth with her hand. Earth. Her planet Earth. She'd lived on it for sixteen years – in one lifetime at least. Her home had just been invaded and there was nothing she could do about it. What did this mean? Would they never return home now?

Serena felt Darien's warm hand on her shoulder, but it did little to sooth her. She exhaled shakily.

"What does that mean for us?" Sailor Jupiter asked, standing. "The Moon is surely the next target; we can't just leave the planet unguarded. And to destroy the Moon, they'd have to get..."

"The crystal," Sailor Mars finished, nodding and standing up also. "We're all in danger.

xXxXx

The palace was now on a full-scale lock down. Guards were posted at every exit, every nook and cranny, every possible entry.

It had been three days since Serena and Darien had seen the Generals, and everyone was walking around nervously. It was like all the peace and wellbeing from the land had been sucked up in a vacuum, leaving nothing but restlessness and fear behind.

The girls were gathered in Sailor Venus' room, sewing jewels and gems into the bodices of all Serena and Serenity's dresses. Serena pricked herself with the needle for the third time and decided to call it quits. Dropping her needle and emerald, she asked.

"Remind me of why we're doing this again? Why couldn't we just have one each?"

Sailor Mercury removed a needle from her mouth and grabbed another diamond, sighing. "You need to be prepared in case you have to escape. The jewels will serve for monetary purposes, in case you're unable to reveal your identities if the Monarchy is overthrown."

"And if you both wore the same gowns over and over," Sailor Jupiter added, scrunching up her nose, "I don't think it would be pleasant. Not to mention suspicious."

"Well this is annoying and hard and stupid and boring and painful and I hate it." Serena folded her arms.

"Well we're stuck in the middle of a goddam war, so it doesn't look like you've got another choice. There's nowhere to go!" Sailor Mars snapped. Since Jadeite hadn't come back yet, the Scout of Mars had been incredibly feisty of late. Serena decided not to push it.

Clamping her mouth shut, she picked up her emerald again, pushing it into the bodice of the dress on her lap until it was hidden in the folds of fabric.

Serenity watched in despair as her guards broke out in an argument, snapping and barking at each other. Leaning across, she placed her hand on Serena's.

"At least we have our guards. We don't even know what's happened to the Generals."

xXxXx

Darien grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat off his face. Another exhausting training session with Endymion. He felt as though his body had been pushed to the limit; but with the things going on right now, he really needed the distraction.

Of course, when he fought, his mind was completely focused on Serena. If the palace came under attack, what would happen to her? Sure, he'd defend her until his last breath, but what if he couldn't get to her on time? What if she was taken away from him again, never to open those beautiful blue eyes once more? He couldn't bear the thought of her being hurt. Not after last time.

His grip on the towel tightened and he began twisting it ferociously between his hands. He looked across at Endymion, who stood by the window, his back to him. Obviously the situation was a hundred times worse for him, losing his friends and finding out his planet was under siege. Darien gritted his teeth and stalked out of the room.

Things just really sucked at the moment.

xXxXx

Sailor Mercury walked out of the room with her head held high. The Scouts had just had a very heated fight, and were no longer on speaking terms. With all the high-strung nerves, and tension thick in the palace, she couldn't believe they couldn't get their act together. When she slammed the door, the echo was amplified around the hall, and she saw Aria, who was by the maid's cupboard, jump in fright. But she was too angry to care.

Reaching her bedroom door, she twisted the knob, freezing it into place and frosting it over with ice as she stepped inside. No locksmith would be able to get through that. Sailor Mercury called for a thick fog to envelop her, trying to relax by immersing herself in her own element. Once she could no longer see anything, she did something she hadn't done in a long time.

With a wave of her hand, she destransformed into Princess Amy of Mercury. Her human form. Stumbling to the bed, she lay across it and began crying. Where was Zoisite? Was he safe? Was he hurt? Was he... dead?

She wanted everything to be okay. She wanted to protect her princess. She wanted to be there for her friends. But right now, she needed to be Amy and have her time.

xXxXx

The tall Amazon from Jupiter dashed into the thick forest, obscuring herself from the world as she raced through the thicket of trees. She didn't know how long she'd run for, but by the time she stopped, she was out of breath – something unusual for her – and on her knees. She collapsed to the ground, her fingers crawling through the tall blades of grass to feel the life beneath her.

Life.

Did Nephrite still have his? Would she still have hers a year from today? Would her friends be able to hold onto theirs? Or would things crumble, a disastrous end to a peaceful age?

She took deep, rhythmic breaths, feeling the energy from the life around her to recharge. If the powerful planet Earth had already been conquered, the Moon would surely have an intense battle ahead.

xXxXx

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, Sailor Venus was taking out her frustrations on a poor tree. She whipped her chain repeatedly against the body, feeling her angry radiate off her with every hit. She gnashed her teeth and gripped the chain tighter; slashing through the bark like it was nothing more than paper.

Pretty soon however, the tree had had enough, and could stand no longer. With a loud, echoing boom, it fell to its side and crashed to the forest floor. Sailor Venus stood panting heavily as she held her chain in her hands, staring down at the bark.

Drawing in ragged breaths, she turned to another tree, glad to see it was much, much thicker. With her lips pressed in a tight line, she drew back her arm, ready to release more of her endless frustration. She had plenty of trees to go through, and she had plenty of rage.

xXxXx

Sailor Mars slumped down by the Lake of Serenity. She was tired. She was angry. She was sad. She was...

She twirled her finger lazily in the air, watching in disinterest as a leaf nearby curled in on itself as it suddenly set alight. She called back the fire just as it jumped to another leaf. She wouldn't repeat the mistake from last summer.

She gazed out over the body of water, wondering where Jadeite was and what he was doing at that very moment. She missed his stupid jokes. She missed his stupid laugh. She missed his stupid grin. She missed his stupid nicknames for her when no one else was around.

But most of all, she just missed _him_.

She shivered as if a non-existent breeze had just travelled past. But it wasn't the wind that got the raven-haired girl shivering, because as a Martian, her body was already set at an impossibly high temperature. No, it was the inner conflict. To worry about the man you love, or to protect to your princess with everything you have?

xXxXx

"Luna, Artemis."

The two feline palace advisors looked up at the Queen's soft words. She sat in her throne, holding the silver crystal, turning it over and over in her hands.

"Yes?" they both asked.

"What do I do? The Earth has already been taken over, and we're going to be next. How can I protect Serenity? How can I save my people?"

She sighed as she twirled the shining, silver orb in her fingers. She frowned as an idea came to her.

_Uh oh_, Luna thought. "My Queen, what are you thinking?"

It was a few moments before Selene replied. Finally, she answered,

"I can save my people. And I can protect Serenity. I know she must live through this battle; we've met her future self. Endymion too. But what about the Scouts? What about the Generals?"

"You know they will protect Serenity and Serena, Endymion and Darien with their lives," Artemis said.

"But where are they?" Selene asked, raising her voice slightly as a bubble of hysteria made its way up her throat. She calmed herself slightly by taking a breath. "No, I need to prepare."

Luna took a step forward. "What do you mean?"

The silver haired queen closed her eyes, her body stilling as she concentrated, hands clutching the silver crystal tightly. Luna and Artemis watched on as seconds turned into minutes, and the birthmark on the woman's forehead began to glow.

Brighter and brighter it glowed until the light suddenly dimmed, retracting in on itself.

Queen Selene opened her bright blue eyes, smiling gently; relieved. She held one hand out, palm facing up as an object began to materialise midair. The transparency began to thicken until the object turned solid and fell into Selene's waiting hand.

She held it up.

"Is that a wand?" Artemis asked, puzzled. Selene nodded slowly.

"It's going to save our people when the time comes. But I used a lot of the crystal's energy, as well as my own to create it, so we best hope we aren't attacked in the next day or two."

"What is it going to do? How will it save everyone?" Luna asked, eyeing the pink stick warily. "I mean no disrespect, but - "

Selene laughed gently. "It's okay, Luna. I know it may not look like much now. But it will do something powerful when the time comes. Until then –" She held up the wand in her right hand and the silver crystal in her left. The crystal levitated out of her loose grip and hovered in the air for a few seconds, before flying to its new home and settling itself on top of the wand, right in the middle of the gold crescent moon.

She twisted her wrist and the moon wand was gone.

"Now," she said in a different tone to the advisors. "If we're going to fight this demon, we're going to need some help."

"The Outers?" Luna asked, glancing at Artemis.

Selene nodded. "I want Uranus and Neptune to check on Pluto whilst they're on their way. When was the last time any of us actually saw her?"

The two felines nodded as they realised this.

"I'll get on that," Luna informed them. Queen Selene leaned forward in her seat, resting her chin on her fist.

"But I can't let things go on like this, no. The Scouts are fighting, Serenity and Serena are already preparing their escapes, Endymion and Darien are training so hard, I fear for their health... If a war really is on the horizon, then I propose we have one last party before the storm. Many of us won't be here the next time the Moon Kingdom celebrates."

"You want to hold a ball?" Artemis asked incredulously, before remembering his place and snapping his mouth shut.

Selene gave him a small smile. "Do you have any other ideas on how to lift the mood in the palace? It's become a castle of fear and insecurities. Don't you want our Kingdom to enjoy themselves at least one last time before we go to war?"

Artemis dropped his head, humbled. "I do."

* * *

_Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think! I love hearing from you all XD_

_xo_

_Carmen_


	14. Astra

**AN:** Posting early this week everyone on account of handing in my English assessment! HOORAY for that last-assessment-being-handed-in-relief that we all feel! HOORAY I SAY! I'm feeling pretty happy right now, so feel free to send some reviews my way. Reviewing as you go is great fun! I encourage it to you all! XD

Disclaimer: I'll put that at the end today XD

* * *

Whilst the hustle and bustle of the preparations around the palace usually had been full of cheer and laughter, now it was simply business. The townsfolk had been informed of the up and coming war, and it was decided that the day after the ball, the army would be mobilised and put to forward defence. They would be going to Earth, in other words.

The Scouts were now in full-protective mode, as Serenity and Serena found out to their dismay. With the still-unexplained absence of the Generals, the Princess' guards were agitated and restless. They would quite often move, never staying in one part of the palace for too long. Before long, Serenity and Serena were training with them; Serena learning basic defence moves from Sailor Jupiter, whilst Serenity, who had been trained in that department some time ago, was blocking attacks from Sailor Mars and Venus. Mercury was on standby, continuously scanning the grounds with her computer.

Her eyes caught Luna in one of the windows, who nodded in acknowledgment. The training was vital now.

xXxXx

Luna turned from the window and jumped lightly off the sill as the door burst open. She, Artemis and Selene looked at the slightly out-of-breath Outer Scouts. They walked in hastily, giving brief bows of respect before launching into their explanations.

Sailor Uranus raised her arms helplessly before letting them fall back by her sides. "Pluto's gone."

"Gone?" the Queen asked with raised eyebrows.

"Gone," the Scout confirmed in a nervous tone. And for Sailor Uranus to be nervous, well this was big.

Sailor Neptune stepped forward, her eyes hard. "We looked everywhere for her. She's not on the plane. The gates are locked but we couldn't see anything that would reveal a disturbance or attack."

"Sailor Pluto... has gone?"

"Vanished," Neptune whispered.

Queen Selene sank into a nearby chair, one that maids often used for reaching above the dresser or suits of armour when cleaning. She covered her eyes with a limp hand as she processed the terrible news. Sailor Pluto? Gone? She would never abandon her post. Not for anything in the galaxy.

Unless she too, had been taken by force.

"Come in," she murmured, before the intruder had even knocked.

"Your Highness," Aria swept in quickly and curtsied. She eyed the two Sailor Scouts curiously, before whispering to the Queen. "I have some of that information you wanted."

xXxXx

"Announcing Princess Serena of the Moon and Prince Darien of the Earth."

The wide doors opened and the couple stepped through them, pausing briefly at the top of the stairwell for a small smatter of applause before descending down the steps.

"I hate doing this," Serena grumbled through smiling lips, making eye contact with people in the crowd. "I've done this three times and haven't enjoyed it once."

"At least you don't look like an idiot in this penguin suit," Darien countered back, without missing a beat. They reached the bottom of the stairs and turned to each other. Serena curtsied and offered her hand to Darien.

"Aww," she cooed as he kissed the gloved material. "I think you look very dashing in a tuxedo – it really suits you, it really does."

"Well maybe I should just go running around in these if I look so good," Darien replied mockingly as he dropped her hand and entwined their arms, leading them to the dance floor.

"Don't forget the roses," Serena muttered sarcastically. "They'd make you look like some kind of romantic hero."

Darien snorted, but the sound was lost in the music as the orchestra began to play the waltz.

"You know," Darien commented halfway through the song. "You seem to be really good at this."

"You're just waiting for me to klutz out, aren't you?" Serena grinned as she twirled past him. Darien shook his head.

"No, I'm serious. This seems to be your dance."

"Oh, that is so sweet!"

"Psst."

Serena and Darien turned their heads to see Serenity leaning over Endymion's arm to hiss playfully to them. "Stop being so caught up in each other and look where you're going."

"Wha…?" Thankfully the warning had come at just the right time, and Darien steered them out of harm's way as they nearly barrelled into another dancing couple.

"That was close," Serena whispered, laughing quietly. Her gaze landed on the four Sailor Scouts watching stonily from the platform where an empty throne sat. "Oh," she sighed sadly. "Look at that. Isn't that the most heartbreaking thing you've ever seen?"

Darien turned his head to see what Serena was referring to. He watched as Sailor Venus ducked her head before dropping completely out of sight, reappearing seconds later with a white cat in her arms. She held the feline by her ear as her face changed to a look of intense concentration. Her expressions then began to vary, switching from confusion to horror. She quickly nodded and rushed through an instruction before putting the cat back on the ground and turning to the Sailor Scouts.

Darien and Serena both paused as they watched the scene unfolding before their eyes. Why were the Scouts panicking? What was going on? Surely their enemy wasn't upon them yet?

Beside them, Serena was faintly aware that Serenity and Endymion had stopped dancing too, and were watching the same spectacle. Serena felt Darien's hand tighten on hers, and she gulped nervously.

Darien tensed beside her and seconds later, she felt what he did. All dancing stopped as the room became deathly silent, the rumbling of the ground vibrating through their bodies.

A deafening blast sounded from one end of the palace, and the even the sturdy marble walls could not help but quake from the impact.

"Attack! We're under attack!"

Serena spun to the voice as Luna and Artemis sprinted through the crowd, alerting them to what they already knew. "People, to your stations! We are under attack!"

Both Darien and Endymion instinctively stepped in front of their respective loves, but before another move could be made, the closest wall to them exploded, sending marble and debris everywhere. Many people were hit and crumpled to the floor, whilst others screamed in pain as a limb was trapped, or a torso impaled. Smoke and dust was thick in the air, and made it hard to see.

"To your stations! Get to your stations!" Serena could still hear the felines yelling, but it was lost in all the chaos and confusion. She shrank into Darien's back, trying to see over his shoulder and into the dust as the silhouetted crowd split; the warriors and the defenceless. She couldn't see Queen Selene or the Sailor Scouts, but she knew they were in the chaos.

Something cold pressed into her hand and Serena jumped, before the object curled around her fingers. She looked down and saw it was Serenity's hand – she was shielded behind Endymion much the same as she was by Darien.

Darien swore under his breath. "Why has half the guard been dismissed?! Where's our back up?"

"They were fired, today," Serena whispered hurriedly. "Queen Selene said they couldn't be trusted."

"We've got to move," Endymion said as his eyes darted around for the danger. Serena's gaze lingered on the large hole in the wall, frightened of who was trying to get in. The air was clearing; she could almost make out shapes.

"Darien," she squeaked, eyes glued to the shadows. The chaos surrounded them, and her voice didn't make it to his ears. "Darien," she tried again, her throat dry. She raised a fist and hit him in the shoulder. "Darien, look!"

He half-turned to see what she was pointing to, and instantly froze. "It's an army!" he suddenly yelled. "There's an army and they're here!" The room froze for the smallest second before everyone was in action again. The guests were evacuated in a rush, but there wasn't enough time.

A blinding purple-white light shot from the gardens and hit a woman square in the back. She fell forward and lay unmoving on the floor. All eyes turned back to the source of the light. As the final layer of clouded air dispersed, and the large group stepped into the ballroom, Serena could not contain her gasp.

There, leering evilly as she held her staff high in the air, was Lady Beryl – but she wasn't the only shocking entrance. She held the head of the arrow formation of the army; there in the wings, looking no less evil than herself, were the Generals. Zoisite and Nephrite stood to her left, Jadeite and Malachite to her right. But it was the look in their eyes that made a cold shiver travel down Serena's spine. Their eyes were completely black, from what she could tell. Like there was no light, no life in them.

Beryl stopped, and her stare swept over the half-destroyed room. When her eyes connected with Serena's, they seemed to sparkle in glee, before passing over to Serenity. The sound of a sword being unsheathed broke the silence. Endymion held his weapon at the ready.

"You witch," he spat. "It was you all along."

In a similar move, Darien unsheathed his and held his in the same manner. "I knew you couldn't be trusted."

Beryl gave him a lustful look. "Well, I wouldn't put _all _the blame on myself. What is a great victory, without a great accomplice?" She nodded her head to the crowd, who quickly spun around looking for the culprit. A figure began pushing through the crowd, grinning triumphantly.

"No," Serena whispered as her heart froze up.

"Aria?" Serenity gasped beside her.

Beryl laughed cruelly, eyes sweeping the crowd for reactions. "I can't tell you how useful my spy has been, gathering information right from under everybody's noses!" She laughed again.

"Aria! How could you?" Queen Selene called over the angry crowd. The young girl shook her head, her dark hair bouncing around her.

"Not Aria," she corrected. "Astra."

Serena frowned, wondering why she'd bothered with a pretence if no one had even known her before she'd come to the palace. Serenity's hand tightened on her own.

"Her imaginary friend," she whispered in a fearful voice.

"A...Astra?"

Every pair of eyes in the room swung to the little girl making her way through the crowd. She was stumbling and shaking, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

The girl named Astra gave her an evil smile. "Why hello there, _sister_."

"A-Astra, W-Why?"

Beryl laughed once again and walked forward to join the girl. "I didn't have to even brainwash this one, like I had with the others." She indicated the army behind her, which Serena recognised the majority of as palace guards."She was very willing to serve the NegaVerse in exchange for a chance to see how her twin had survived."

"NO!" Aria shouted, tears forming in her eyes. "Astra, she's lying, isn't she? Tell them she's lying!" But Astra just shook her head, grinning.

"Why should you have lived with the luxury and safety of the palace while I was left to fend for myself? You didn't even come to look for me, after you were found. Your selfishness has gotten you where you are today, and you'll get everything you deserve."

Beryl put a hand on Astra's shoulder, her long nails glinting in the light. "Well, as much as I had hoped to draw this reunion out just a little longer." Her snake-like eyes slid to Serena, and then Serenity. "It seems I am just too impatient for my own good. I have strived for this battle for too long. Nothing will stop me now." She raised her staff high in the air, and black mist materialised at the head, swirling around the clear crystal orb.

It must have been a signal, because all at once, the army – tens of thousands it must have been –spurred to life, scrambling over the broken marble and sprinting into the fray. Battle cries sounded from behind Serena and the palace guards began leading the defence charge. Even some of the townsfolk had joined in, holding makeshift weapons aloft.

The princesses could only watch as several warriors met their deaths instantly – on both sides. Swords were thrust through entire bodies, bolts of light were shot at figureheads by Beryl, and the sounds of metal meeting metal – as well as screaming – consumed the hall.

Serena shifted nervously behind Darien, waiting for someone to attack them openly. Suddenly, she felt someone grab her wrists from behind. She screamed and spun around, but it was only Aria – or was it Astra? Endymion spun, while Darien kept his eyes forward. The small girl held both her and Serenity in her grip and was tugging at them urgently, begging them to come with her with her eyes.

"No!" Serena yelled, trying to break free. "You're the spy!"

Aria shook her head, tears in her eyes. "No, I'm not! It's me, Aria! We've got to go _now_!"

But even Serenity wasn't biting. She just stood there, staring at the girl.

"Please," the dark haired girl begged. "Ask me anything, I can tell you I'm Aria!"

Serena wracked her brains for something, but Serenity beat her to it. "Where did Endymion propose to me?" Aria would only know this from the time she'd been with Serena and her in her room. Endymion held up his sword.

"Next to the fountain of Selene, after you'd looked up at the Ea-"

She was cut off as Serenity nodded. "Endy, it's her!"

Endymion pushed Serenity towards Aria. "Go," he shouted over the noise. "Go with her; you'll be safer once hidden."

"Wait, I'm not leaving you!" Serenity cried in outrage. Endymion turned back around, but glanced over his shoulder, giving her a pleading look. "Please," he begged loudly. "Hide where Aria tells you to."

Darien turned to Serena, but she held up a hand. "I'm not leaving you either, mister!"

Darien's eyes softened as he drank up her determined expression. "Please, Meatball Head. I can't fight knowing that you could be hurt."

Whilst the fighting roared around them, the four stood immobile. Endymion groaned. "This is getting us nowhere! It's too dangerous." He shared an exasperated look with Darien and they both groaned, knowing how stubborn the girls could be. "JUST GO!" they shouted. Aria's tugging became even more insistent and they reluctantly allowed themselves to be dragged away.

"We'll come for you when it's safe!" Darien shouted after them. Serena felt her heart constrict painfully as he turned his back on her, raised his sword once more and ran directly into the fight, Endymion not far behind him.

A choked cry bubbled past her lips, before she focussed once more on the present. She turned and began running alongside Aria, bunching her skirt in her white fists and jumping over bodies and debris alike.

Just as they made it to the base of the stairs, four tall figures leapt in front of them, blocking their escape.

The three girls screamed and skidded to a stop. Malachite, who led the group, took a step forward.

"You aren't going anywhere," he said in a menacing voice. Serena gulped as her eyes landed on the big sword, which he held at his side. Her eyes darted around the group for a means of escape, but she couldn't see one. They'd have to knock off at least three of them for a chance at the stairs.

The doors at the top of the stairs burst open and she glanced up. There, in ready battle poses, stood the four Sailor Scouts. Sailor Venus' eyes dropped to meet Serena's, and she let out a loud, strangled cry. She'd seen Malachite. As it dawned on the Scouts that their Generals were back, and helping their princess escape, they began running down the stairs.

It was only when Sailor Mars noticed Jadeite's cold, dark eyes that she picked up the evil auras pressing down on the men. "Stop!" she screamed, flinging an arm out. Her psyche felt like it was on overload, the high quantity of negative energy surrounding her friends. "It's not them!"

"What?" Sailor Jupiter yelled.

"That's not them! I – I can't pick up their psyches! They're working with the enemy!"Jadeite leered at her in a frightening manner, and her face drained of all colour. How could they fight against the ones they loved?

"They've been brainwashed!" Aria cried, but it was too late.

Whilst the others had been distracted, Zoisite had edged close enough to Aria to lunge at her. Serenity screamed and pushed the girl out of the way. Zoisite managed to grip the princess's elbow, and his newly-given strength was tested as he began to increase the pressure, crushing her arm.

"No!"

The Sailor Scouts leapt into action, which the Generals mirrored. Serenity was released from Zoisite's grip, and as Serena yanked Aria from the floor, they darted their way around the group and took off for the stairs.

Serena faulted in her steps and stumbled when she heard Sailor Venus' pain-filled cry. As she tried to pick herself up from the floor, she turned her head. Sailor Venus had been deeply cut in her thigh, but had managed to procure Malachite's sword. As she stumbled back in shock, she looked at the weapon in her hands. "Malachite, please," she tried, begging him with her eyes. He lunged for the sword, but she dodged his advance. "Mal, it's me. Sailor Venus..."

The man roared with fury as she dodged another swipe. "Don't do this to us. Don't do this to... me." As one of his wild swings managed to grip at a chunk of her hair, he hauled her close to him. Sailor Venus stared up at him with wide eyes, unshed tears gathering at the brim. Was it any good? Was she getting through to him at all? The sounds of her friends fighting their loved ones rushed in her ears. They were fighting a losing battle too, by the sounds of it. Malachite's upper lip curled as he realised he'd gotten her. While one hand held her captive, he reached out with the other for the sword, leaving him open for attack. Agony ripped across her face as she lifted the sword and drove it into Malachite's chest. It missed his heart, being somewhat closer to his shoulder, but it did the damage.

Serena felt like she was watching some movie – the kind where the drama happens in slow motion. As Venus held the sword firmly in Malachite's body, his eyes glazed over, and a spark of recognition flickered within them.

"Come on!" an urgent voice hissed in Serena's ear, making her jump. She was picked up by both her upper arms and hauled to her feet, where she ran up the remaining stairs. As they burst through the open doors to the corridors, Serenity and Aria spun around and each pulled one of the heavy wooden doors shut. They sprinted back down the corridor, fleeing from the sounds of the battle in the ballroom.

Serena didn't know how long they ran for, but before long she was gasping for breath and the stitch in her side was beginning to slow her down.

"Just a bit further," she heard Aria gasp up ahead. "Come _on_!"

Serena groaned but said nothing as she straightened up and took off again. Moments later, in the next corridor, she saw Aria haul open a door and usher them inside. They darted in and she slammed the door shut behind them.

"No one followed us. I'm sure of that," she panted. Serena sank to her knees, landing heavily on the floor, hardly caring if they were found anymore. She was so _tired_.

"Why are we _here_?" Serenity asked softly in the dark. Serena's head snapped up and for the first time, took in her surroundings. They were in a small room, which had nothing but a bed, a sink, and what looked like a million candle stumps on the low shelves. Serena stood up and felt her hair brush the roof.

"This is a room the guards use between shifts. It's mostly for those who guard the dungeons, but sometimes those who have close patrol shifts will use this for a short relief period," Aria said.

Serena shuddered at the memory of the dungeons, trying to work out if she remembered what area of the palace it was in.

"We're directly above it," Aria explained, as if she knew what Serena had been about to ask. "That door over there in the corner takes you down to them, so it's close by if we need to run and find a new hideout."

"If we _need a new hideout_?" Serena echoed dully. "You expect them to find us?"

"They know we could never leave the palace, what with half the army probably surrounding it," Serenity explained. "So they will come looking for us, should they –"

"– succeed," Serena finished flatly. "Should we lose. Oh, well, as long as we're being optimistic!"

"We're being realistic, now stop whining and concentrate!" her twin snapped. "You just need to focus on keeping yourself alive for Darien, all right? We can pull through this. We _will_ pull through this."

Serena deflated at the sound of Serenity's determination, and walked over to the darkest corner. As she slid down the walls and into the shadowy corner, she wondered if she would ever see Darien alive again.

_

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_

_Well, there you go folks. As many of you have already figured out by now, this is a fic about the downfall of the Moon Kingdom - with Darien and Serena witnessing it. I couldn't say anything before, because I didn't want to go and ruin the ending for you, but don't worry! Three more chapters to go! Also, I feel it only right to put my disclaimer here now. I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its characters; however, I do own Aria and Astra (and Moira and Sarah). YAY!_

**_Also, on an awesome note, I got my inspiration for the Venus/Malachite tidbit from this image I found on deviantart one day. Look up Immortal Regret by vbabe1! Don't you just love it in a heart-constricting kind of way?_**

_Tell me what you all think, and don't forget to fave and save!_

_xoxo_

_Carmen_


	15. No Longer a Threat

**AN:** Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed last chapter's cliffhanger! I'd like to take a second just to thank everyone who's reviewed so far, you'd made me so happy! At the moment, the review count stands at 142 (almost 150 woo!!) and I'd really like to make the 200 mark by the end of the story (chapter 17), so please drop me a line, telling what you loved/liked/didn't like/hated/were confused about and I'd be happy to answer/reply/something else to you! So that's my AN today. I really hope you enjoy this chapter.

No Disclaimer since everyone knows who Sailor Moon _really_ belongs to. What's that? I just made one? Psssh, don't be silly! Of course I didn- oh.

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Serena groaned as her building agitation threatened to overflow. She remained slumped in a dark corner of the small room, from where she'd first sat what surely had to be hours ago. But the truth was, in the silent darkness, it was hard to have a sense of time at all. It could have only been ten minutes, for all she knew. Her eyes flicked around the room for the thousandth time. It reminded her strongly of Harry Potter's cupboard under the stairs. But that would be like giving this room an upgrade. She'd take the cupboard any day.

Her eyes settled on the still form of Aria. The young girl sat poised by the door, half-hidden in similar shadows, although Serena had no idea where the light was coming from. There was no window, after all. It was probably just the natural illumination that the planet had.

Aria shifted slightly and Serena snapped back into focus. The dark-haired girl rubbed her bloodshot eyes tiredly for a few seconds before returning to her gargoyle-like position. Serena sighed internally at the sight. The poor girl. Having just found out that your twin was alive, after all these years, must have been hard. But finding out she was working with the people upturning your life and killing all your friends would have been devastating. Serena couldn't even begin to empathise, because she couldn't imagine what it must be like to be in her shoes. It truly was a sorry sight. Serena turned her head slightly to the left, where Serenity sat. Serenity, of all of them, probably felt the most useless, sitting out of the fight. She couldn't use the crystal since Queen Selene had it, and they had no idea where the Queen even was. But even in their current situation, the blonde was still radiating the grace of a born-princess. It made Serena slightly envious that she could remain so calm and collected while her fiancé was out there, risking his life to protect her, but she knew the inner turmoil was probably eating away at her.

Why, even she herself could swear she was almost... in tune with Darien. Like, she could feel him. In a way. Deep within her, possibly even at the bottom of her soul, she could feel some kind of connection. But that was crazy. It was most likely just her stressed-out mind playing tricks on her. Trying to coax her into false hope or something stupid like that. Serena flexed her fingers, and then realising how sore and achy her body was, decided to stretch her arms and legs too.

After settling back into her hunched position, she lay her head on her knees and closed her eyes, trying to empty her crowded mind of all the possible scenarios racing through it. Silence settled over the trio once more, and it wasn't for several minutes that it was broken again.

Serenity's sharp intake of breath had them instantly alert. Serena's head snapped up. "What? What is it?"

Serenity closed her eyes and began shaking her head slowly, a pale hand clutching desperately at her heart. "No," she murmured through still lips, eyebrows drawing. "No."

Aria stood up, tense. "Your Highness, what is it?"

Serenity's eyes snapped open and her hand flew to the wall, which she used as support as she got to her feet. She was visibly shaking and that unnerved Serena, who got to her feet also.

"I... I..." She gulped as a lump wedged its way into her throat. "I... I have to go."

Aria and Serena exchanged looks.

"Are you sick?"

"Do you need the bathroom?"

"No!" she whispered desperately in the dark. "It's Endy!"

Aria blocked the door, trying to look as assertive as possible. "No. Princess, I can't let you do that. We have to stay here until someone comes to get us."

"I don't have time for this. He's hurt!" Pushing off from the wall, she tried to manoeuvre around the human barrier to her only exit. Aria matched her advances step for step. Fed up after their cat and mouse game, Serenity drew up to her full height and put her hands on her hips. "Aria, I order you to move this instant!"

"I can't let you leave! They could be combing the halls right as we speak."

Serenity took a few quick steps back. "Then I'll just have to go around – or _under_."

She spun and with surprising agility, she rushed past Serena and into the small side door, throwing it open and disappearing into the darkness.

Serena could have slapped herself for letting her leave. "I'm such an idiot!" she hissed, scrambling for the door. She tried the handle, but was surprised to find it locked. "What the hell?!"

Aria reached for it too, and after a few seconds of jittering it, she concluded much the same. "It locks from the inside."

Serena didn't have to think twice. "We've got to head her off. Come on!"

"No!" Aria howled as quietly as she could. "I have to keep you HERE! Where you're SAFE!"

"Well, if Serenity's running around out there, I'm going too." Serena pressed her ear against the wooden door, but had to hold her breath, as her loud panting obstructed her hearing. When it was decided that the coast was clear, Serena threw open the door and sprinted off in the direction they'd come... however long ago it was.

"Please," Aria begged as she tried to keep up. "Come back. You have to remain - "

"- safe, I know," Serena cut in bitterly. "But I'm just not the kind of girl you can lock up in a battle."

She zoomed around the corner, bypassing the library, as it's usual stony-silence sent a chilling shiver up and back down Serena's spine. She raced across the corridor and down another. Before long, she was lost. And Aria was nowhere to be seen either.

"Shoot," Serena muttered to herself as fear clawed at her heart. She was lost, in the open and the silence was really beginning to get to her nerves now. Where was the fighting? Where was everybody? She spotted a window down the end of the next corridor and ran to it, pressing herself against the wall and peeking out. It held the view of the transportation docks. She was in the northern wing.

Pushing off the wall, Serena hitched up her skirts once again and set off, this time finding it much easier to navigate through the maze of corridors. The only sounds she could hear as she raced towards the ballroom was her heavy panting, her shoes clicking on the marble floor, and the rustle of her dress as the back of it dragged behind her.

Finally, as she spied the familiar staircase that would lead her to the ballroom, she slowed, tiptoeing up the slippery steps. Once again, the lack of noise was disturbing. Who had won? Where was the fight now?

Hitching up her skirts again, Serena braced herself as she ducked a head around the pillar, poised for the slightest of movements. Seeing none, she crept along to long, empty corridor, always pausing before every door. Somewhere close by, she heard the sound of a familiar voice – crying out in pain. Serena took off again. As she neared, the sounds of voices floated towards her.

"No! Please! Don't hurt him anymore!"

"It's not him I want to hurt," another voice sneered. "It's you. But he's getting in the way."

"No, please, Endy, stop! You'll be okay, you will. You'll be okay..."

"Stand aside handsome, or I'm afraid I _will_ have to kill you."

"If...you think.... I'll just step aside.... and let you take her from me.... You've... learnt nothing.... about... love..."

The second voice laughed. "Love? Who needs it? Now, Prince Endymion. Let me have the girl, and I'll let you go free."

"Endy, just move!"

"NO!"

"Very well then."

The unmistakable crackle of power zinged through the room and Serenity screamed. Serena had to cover her mouth as tears flowed freely down her face. Endymion. Sweet, charming Endymion. The past reincarnation of Darien. Her soulmate.

"No! Oh Selene, no!" Serenity's broken cries echoed around the room, while Beryl laughed at her loss. "I'll be back to find your _mother_ _dearest _and her crystal, and then, I'll finish you off."

Serena had just enough time to leap behind a blood-splattered pillar as Beryl sashayed out of the room and into the opposite direction. Serenity's wails penetrated her very soul, and she could feel her legs turning to jelly. This nightmare just would never end. The clattering sound of a sword scraping against marble made its way to her ears and her eyes widened. Oh no! Serenity was in trouble.

She threw herself from the pillar and through the door but it was too late.

"Oh my god," was all she could manage, before turning to her side and retching horribly. The sight that had greeted her was worse than any horror movie she'd ever seen. Endymion's body was lying limply on the floor, his blood smeared across the pristine-white marble. His head lay in a bundle of white – Serenity's lap. As Serenity's eyes, quickly losing their light, raised themselves to meet Serena's, she mouthed two words.

_I'm sorry._

Her hands fell from the sword's handle and she slumped sideways, her body hovering protectively over Endymion. Her bright blue eyes, glassy and unblinking, gazed into Endymion's closed ones.

Serena retched once more.

The quick footsteps of someone running registered in her mind, but at that moment, she didn't care.

Hands grabbed her from behind, but before she could feel them, she'd already been spun around. "Serena!"

"Darien?" she breathed in disbelief. He was here? He was still alive?

Suddenly, the strain from the whole situation was too much to bear. She burst into tears. Darien said nothing, instead, rubbing his hands up and down her arms in soothing motions. His eyes looked over her shoulder and saw the bloody mess of their past selves.

"Holy mother of God."

"She....And she...." Serena hiccupped, wiping the back of her hand across her face. "She killed herself after.... after he died..."

Darien steered Serena around, and together they walked towards the pair. His eyes roved over his twin's battle-worn body, and his soulmate's glassy stare. He turned to Serena. "We should give them a proper farewell, shouldn't we?"

She nodded, even though she had no idea what he was saying. He gently released her and knelt down, brushing his fingers across Serenity's eyes, closing them. Even with that minor adjustment, she looked almost peaceful, as if in slumber...

Serena gazed down at her, almost missing the click of heels. Almost.

Darien's back stiffened, and the hairs on the back of Serena's neck jumped up. Lady Beryl stood at the door, watching them with her cat-like red eyes.

"Well, I must say," she began in her hissing voice. "I was disappointed that I missed the chance to kill the lovely princess myself, although her grief-stricken impromptu death was just as sweet... But I am glad that I had waited this long to do so. Now I get a second go." She gave a humorous smile.

Serena and Darien both rose, gritting their teeth as they stared at the woman who had caused all this trouble. Darien shifted in front of Serena. "You'll never touch her."

"Oh? Won't I?"

The staff was pointed in his direction and immediately a blast of dark energy was sent their way. Darien collided with Serena and they were sent flying backwards.

"Are you sure about that?" Another blast was sent their way, with Darien jumping in front of Serena just in time.

Beryl gave a humourless laugh and walked forward until she was standing beside the bodies. She gazed down into Endymion's face in what could only be described as carnal lust.

"I wouldn't bother protecting her, Prince Darien," she said sweetly, looking up at him. She kicked Endymion in the side with her shoe. "It didn't do this Prince too good in the end, as you can see."

"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" Serena exploded. "DON'T. TOUCH. HIM!"

Beryl raised an amused eyebrow and sent another powerful blast, which they both dived out of the way from just in time. She circled Endymion's body and took in his 'pillow' – Serenity's lap. Her tears were even still wet on his face. Using the base of her staff, she separated the pair, shifting Endymion's head to the floor, and sending Serenity's body toppling over again, right onto the sword.

Serena roared in rage and stood up, with great difficulty. Darien followed suit.

"Ready for more?" Beryl said with an icy smile.

Serena reached for Darien's hand, and gritted her teeth. She would stand up to this witch. She would show her. But with a lazy flick of her wrist, Beryl sent a charge of power careening towards them. The duo stood their ground. A glint of fear passed through Beryl's eyes, before she laughed, and it was gone again.

"You can't defy me, no matter how much you believe in your _love_." She said the word with distain.

"What would you know about love?" Darien panted.

"Who needs love when you can have all the power imaginable?"

They braced themselves as she shot another bolt of power at them, but their strength was weakening. With her eyes fastened on Beryl's, Serena muttered under her breath.

"Darien, in case we don't make it through this... I want you to know..."

" - not now, Meatball Head," Darien cut her off. "If you say goodbye, then there's nothing stopping us from trying our hardest to beat this witch."

"Darien, open your eyes! She's killed our friends, our family. She's killed US! There's nothing left. So I want you to know that I love you. And I always will – even in death."

Darien swore under his breath but turned to stare at their clasped hands, before travelling up to her eyes. They were filled with so many emotions; he didn't know where to start. His shoulders slumped. "I love you too, Meatball Head. My princess."

"Aw," the witch cooed sarcastically. "How sweet, a final parting for the prince and the princess. It's a shame there's no one here to witness it. I will just have to tell everyone you begged for mercy at my feet."

Even as she spoke, Darien lifted Serena's hand and brought it to his lips, where he gave her a light kiss. "Forever and ever," he whispered.

Beryl watched this exchange, and the jealousy increased tenfold. With a roar of rage, she threw another powerful attack, which knocked Serena and Darien off their feet.

Though falling on their stomachs, they remained linked by their hands. Beryl sent another blast at them, where they were sent flying across the floor. Winded and coughing, they tried to inch closer to each other, to tighten their entwined fingers.

Attack after attack had them skidding across the marble, but never once did they let go. It was at this stage that Serena was coughing up flecks of blood, and Darien had hit his head on the wall.

"Never again will anyone defy me," Beryl declared to the empty room. "From now on, I will be referred to as Queen Beryl, ruler of the Negaverse!" Her eyes slid down to the unmoving forms of Serena and Darien. Aiming her staff directly to their clasped hands, she called on her most powerful attack. "And you are no longer a threat!"

_

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_

_*emerges from behind her hand_s* Ooooooh, wasn't that angsty and scary and dramatic and and and and yeah! So, I think here is a good time to say that one of the ideas that inspired me to write this story was Queen Selene's famous line "Oh no, she's taken both of them." I think you understand what I mean. Now, that scene does take place after this Beryl one, although I didn't write it, so think it up in your minds if you want to! Also, I used the manga death instead of the anime death since this is a much better death scene in my opinion, and it just seemed to work better with the plot, regardless. Just thought I'd mention that XD

_So anyhoo, who thinks Serena and Darien survived? Who thinks they/one of them died? Let me know! (I think I know what you'll all think, so before you say it, no, it's probably not that.)_

_xo_

_Carmen Delta_


	16. Deja Vu

**AN: **Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, and those few who reviewed every chapter; Railway Station, merangelgal, BeeDiddy, Unknown For Some Reason, tikapatel, EvaC, crescent-starchild09, Serenity2012, Linata Risako Sadayo and anyone else I've forgotten (sorry XD)!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own squat. Kaitlyn Fall beta'd this story and I'm very, very grateful! So should you be.

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Serena jolted awake, panting heavily. She shielded her eyes as a bright light attacked her vision. Oh god, was she dead? Was this the white light? She was dead, wasn't she? Well great. Just great. She didn't even get a chance to – hey, wait a minute... What's that? Serena sniffed, much like a blind rabbit would.

Pancakes? Blueberry pancakes? This _was_ heaven!

A loud rapping noise made her jump. "Serena, it's time to get up, darling, you're going to be late!"

Serena's eyes pooled with tears. That sounded like her mum. Her dear old mum, whom she missed dearly. Or maybe it was a hallucination, her mind giving her something familiar to ease her into this strange place. She took a brave breath and opened her eyes. Wow. It looked exactly like her old room. Right down to the stuffed bunny collection she had clumped together in the corner. Maybe being dead wasn't so bad after all...

As she cheerily threw her blankets off, she realised something with dread. Darien. Was he here? Had he made it to heaven? She knew he hadn't exactly been a gentleman when they'd first met, but he'd risked his life for her, and so many others... That had to count for something... Right?

The door opened and her mother stuck her head in. "Serena, get out of – oh, you're up. Well hurry up dear, you're going to be late for school if you don't get a move on."

"School?" Serena wrinkled her nose. Her mother sighed and opened the door fully, carefully regarding her daughter.

"Are you all right, dear? You look a little pale."

Serena forced a smile. "Sure, I'm fine. I was just wishing for some pancakes, that's all." She looked around her room as if expecting pancakes to appear.

"Well if you want breakfast, get dressed first," her mother said sternly before turning to leave. The door slammed shut and Serena stared at it, confused.

"Well this heaven sucks," she murmured. "A girl can't even get her food delivered." She shrugged and searched for her uniform. It was draped over her desk, right where she usually left it.

"Dress me!" she commanded to the empty room, clapping her hands for added effect. When nothing happened, she grumbled and began dressing manually.

As the blonde descended to the kitchen table, dressed and packed for school, her family froze.

"S...Serena? Is that you?" her brother Sammy asked with wide eyes, feigning shock. He checked his watch. "Up before 8 a.m.? WOW! Hell must've frozen over."

Serena made a face at him and ruffled his hair, something she'd rarely done before. This time it really did shock Sammy. Serena grabbed two pieces of toast and decided she'd rather walk to 'school' – again, something she'd rarely done before. At least she could relax more here, in this strange heaven. Maybe heaven was just supposed to imitate life, keep her in familiar territory; keep her happy.

She kissed her mother goodbye, waved to her father, who was peeking over the top of his newspaper, and grabbed her schoolbag.

"Bye mum! Bye dad! Bye Sammy!"

Serena skipped out the door and whistled as she began the short trek to Juuban. Without noticing it, Serena managed to avoid every disaster she'd usually encounter. She hopped over the cracked pavement, made wide arcs around street corners and sidestepped harried-looking businessmen who weren't paying attention to where they were going.

"Hmm, how rude," Serena muttered to herself as she watched a man bump into a pregnant woman and not apologise. Why did she have the feeling something wasn't right here?

After she'd made it to her seat, with ten minutes to spare before class started, Miss Haruna walked in.

"Serena?" the teacher asked, startled. She glanced at the clock on the wall. "You're... You're early!"

Serena gave her a funny look. "Uh... Sorry?" she tried.

Miss Haruna shook her head and began muttering to herself, to which had Serena deep in thought. Wasn't she dead? Wasn't this heaven? Why was everyone acting like _she_ was the strange one? The lesson began, but the blonde was so caught up in her thoughts she paid no attention. It wasn't until a familiar question caught her ears.

"Now who can tell me what Miss Delta meant when she said ..."

Serena's hand was up before her teacher had even finished her question.

"Uh, yes Serena?"

"She was referring to the irony of the situation, where everything was exactly the same, and yet not, because it had been repeated, even after all those déjà vu incidents that the characters hadn't realised yet."

To say that the class was surprised was putting it mildly. Miss Haruna stood frozen by the blackboard, a piece of chalk hovering in one hand, and the book in her other. "Y-Yes..." she stammered. "Yes, exactly. Well done Serena! You've done your homework. Now..."

Serena slid down further in her seat as a few classmates continued staring at her. By the time they'd looked away, she was almost nose to nose with her desk. She stayed like that for the remainder of the English lesson, until a piece of paper was slapped onto her desk.

"Surprise geometry test today, class!" Miss Haruna announced cheerfully. She checked the clock. "You have forty minutes, starting now."

Serena turned the paper over, and her suspicions were confirmed. This was the same test she'd done... the day she'd fallen into the time void. Suppressing a shudder, she quickly filled in her answers, knowing all the correct ones, and once she'd handed her paper back, the bell for recess went. She grabbed her lunch and went outside to sit under the big oak tree. She glanced up at the sky. A clear blue sky and a cheery sun greeted her – not a cloud in sight. Not yet, at least.

Serena passed through the rest of the day in pretty much a daze. She would switch between zoning out and answering questions; and this was getting Miss Haruna nervous. It was like the girl knew every answer to her lesson, without even trying!

Free of an afternoon detention, Serena decided to stop off at the arcade before heading home. She was down to two explanations for the strange day.

One, was that she'd simply had a nightmare and that none of that Moon Kingdom stuff had ever happened. But that didn't explain how the day was repeating itself.

Or two, she had survived the battle and somehow been brought back home. But that didn't explain how she'd gotten there in the first place.

Of course, there was always three, that she was crazy and belonged in an asylum, but she didn't want to consider that.

The chime that greeted her arrival at the arcade doors made her jump in fright, which she laughed nervously at. It felt like it had been so long since she'd seen carefree Andrew, or had a vanilla milkshake. The arcade just didn't feel the same.

"Hey Serena!" Andrew waved at her from the counter. Serena beamed at him, a warm rush of affection swelling up within her. Before she could stop it, a bubble of laughter exploded from her mouth. She ran up to the counter, dropped her bag by her feet and leaned over, hugging the employee for all he was worth.

"Um. Wow," he choked. "Serena, are you okay?"

"Andrew, it's so good to see you again!" she laughed into his shoulder. He patted her back and untangled himself, grinning.

"Are you just saying that to get a free milkshake?"

Serena flushed. Of course, to him, she'd probably only seen him yesterday. "Why, of course!" she beamed, clasping her hands together.

"Coming right up," he said as he turned his back to her. Serena sighed and sank down on one of the heavily padded stools, swinging her legs back and forth. Seeing Andrew suddenly made things a lot better.

"Hey, Meatball Head," a deep voice greeted her from behind. Serena froze. Her fingers clenched the counter tightly and her legs stopped swinging. Wide eyed, she gulped and slowly turned around. There, standing with his hands in his pockets, was Darien Shields. He regarded her silently over his sunglasses before taking them off and settling himself down on a stool, one down from her.

She sat there, staring at him, waiting. After a few seconds of silence, he cocked his head in her direction. "Fail another test today?"

All the hope that had been building up within Serena crumbled. Her stomach dropped to the floor and a cold, plunging sensation washed through her.

Conclusion one. She'd dreamed it all. She should have known. There was no way handsome, arrogant and sarcastic Darien Shields had been on the Moon with her. It all made sense now. She'd had some wild dream, some fairly vivid déjà vu moments and was now sitting here realising what an idiot she was.

"Jerk," she spat out automatically, her mind slipping into auto control.

"Is that _really_ the best you can do?" he smiled, unfolding a newspaper and opening it up. "You're becoming kind of a let down, Meatball Head. You need some new material."

"Speaking of new material," Serena snapped, raising a fist. "Why don't you throw that ugly thing out and buy a decent blazer?"

"I like my clothes, Meatball Head. I don't have to change my wardrobe just to impress you."

"Yeah, like anything you own could impress me," Serena sniffed, returning to the counter where her milkshake had just been placed. In truth, she wasn't really angry at Darien. She was more angry with herself, for letting herself believe some stupid dream.

"Whatever you say, _Princess_."

Serena choked on her milkshake and looked up. "What did you call me?" she half-demanded, half-whispered.

"A princess," Darien's voice floated out from behind the black and white pages. "You know, because you think you deserve everything?"

Serena deflated. She had no comeback for that; she'd thought for a moment there he was referring to...

"Well if I'm a princess, then I deserve only the best. Princes in tuxedoes do me well."

As she sipped at her milkshake, chewing the straw thoughtfully, she failed to see one cobalt blue eye slide out from the newspaper.

"What, no knights in shining armour?" he joked, watching with narrowed eyes for a reaction.

"Only those who are good at fighting," the blonde answered back quickly, before realising what they'd both said. They sat staring at each other for several moments, waiting for the other to either back down or admit their secret.

Serena licked her lips nervously, wondering if her suspicions were right. "Darien," she began sweetly, feigning an innocent expression. "Do you... happen to have a birthmark? By any chance?"

The newspaper was lowered and the upperclassman turned to face the girl fully. "Serena..."

"And a coffee for you, my friend!"

Darien groaned at Andrew's timing, but turned to offer his friend a weak smile. "Thanks, Drew."

Andrew's head snapped between the two customers. "Hey, you two weren't fighting again while I was gone, were you?"

Serena laughed nervously and batted a hand at him. "No silly! I was just telling Darien he looks ugly when he thinks. He makes his face go all like this – " And she smushed her hands all over her face. Darien's face drained of all colour. He grabbed Serena by the wrist.

"Come here." He dragged her to a booth and flung her in, quite ungraciously. "What do you know, Serena? Spit it out."

"What is _wrong_ with you?" she snapped. "You can't just go dragging girls around and..." She trailed off at his murderous glare and sank back into the booth tiredly.

"Has... Has today been a little strange for you? Like, everything is really familiar?"

Serena picked up a sugar packet and began fiddling with it. "If by familiar you mean everything has repeated itself from.... a long time ago, then yes. Today has been strange."

Darien watched, transfixed as her dainty fingers toyed with the packet. "So... it wasn't some dream?" he whispered to the table. In the reflection of the shiny red tabletop, he saw her fidgeting stop.

"Darien," Serena said softly, inhaling deeply and reaching for one of his hands. "Was it... real?"

He met her eyes, sad and yet hopeful. "I think it was... It must have been."

"Wow," Serena exhaled, smiling slightly and throwing herself back into her seat. "And I thought I was going crazy today! When I woke up, I thought I was in heaven or something."

"No kidding," Darien smirked. "I thought I'd been asleep for a week, and had some psychologically-damaging nightmare. I avoided everything at all costs, and most of all, you."

"Me?" Serena repeated, offended.

Darien drummed his fingers on the table. "Well, I thought if it had been a dream, and I was acting all... Well I didn't know how to act around you. If I saw you. And when I came in here, thinking you'd be in detention for," he checked his watch, "another hour, I saw you and... just reverted to the old verbal sparring... Keep things normal, you know?"

Serena nodded, tears springing to her eyes. "So, did we die, or…? I mean, how can I live like normal if I have all these memories, all these _images_ in my head? I don't even know what to do about it – it's not like we can tell anyone... Wait, what did you mean you didn't know how to act around me?"

A grin spread over the handsome teenager's face. "My, and here I thought you were catching on. Serena," He reached for her hand, holding in both of his own. "I meant what I said, you know. I love you. I just didn't know if it had been real, that's all."

"You... You still love me?" Serena whispered hopefully. Darien lifted her hand and lightly kissed her knuckles, in the same way he'd done right before...

"Of course I do, silly. Nothing can keep us apart now." His eyebrows drew together as he realised something. "But the question still remains, how was all that possible?"

They both turned to look out the window, where dark, black clouds were quickly gathering.

* * *

_In the first draft, the first chapter was a lot longer. But unfortunately, most of it didn't make the final cut, which actually works better this chapter since you won't feel cheated that you're reading the same thing over again. But basically, this chapter is a repeat (in a different light) of chapter one. One more chapter to go, please don't forget to review!_

_xo  
Carmen_


	17. Protecting the Timeline

**AN: **Here is the final installment of Time Warped! With thanks to crescent-starchild09 for her special PM of encouragment and reminding me I had to post :)

**Disclaimer:** Oh, who cares? If I owned Sailor Moon, I'd be writing much cooler stories than this!**  
**

* * *

"I'll walk you home," Darien said as they exited the arcade, completely missing Andrew's cheerful goodbye. He jerked a thumb to his left and grinned. "Do you still live down this way?"

"Pretty sure I do," Serena grinned back. "You have good memory."

As they wandered down the street, hand in hand, Darien remembered something. He stopped. "Wait," he tugged Serena back. "Maybe we shouldn't do this."

Serena's eyes widened in alarm. "Do what?!" Her eyes flickered uncertainly to their entwined hands.

"Maybe we shouldn't go down this way. I mean, if today is repeating exactly the same way it played out last time..."

"Then we're walking right into the time vortex again!" Serena finished, eyes fastening on the clouds once more. "Do you think... I mean, is it..."

Darien stood rooted in place, indecision clearly written on his face. "I don't know, Meatball Head. We don't know if it was just that specific location, or if it was going to open up regardless of where we were."

Serena bit her lip. "Well.... Let's just hurry home, and if it starts to get stormy again, you can hide out at my place until it looks safe."

Darien highly doubted that would solve anything, but agreed nevertheless. It would be stupid to stand on the street, wasting time trying to figure out how to avoid the oncoming danger.

As they hurried down the streets of Juuban, they began nearing the park. Darien glanced up at the sky. Why, it was pitch black already – nothing like it had been five minutes ago. He began to walk faster, but already the wind was picking up. A wayward newspaper page flew into him, sticking to his leg. He didn't even bother removing it; it would only waste the time they didn't have.

He felt Serena's hand tighten in his own as they speed-walked past the hedges and bushes of the nature reserve. A clap of thunder boomed up ahead. Serena whimpered, but it was lost to the sound of another deep roll of thunder. The cold air swirled around them, biting at their skin, and they began running, tears streaming down their faces as they squinted through the wind.

They skidded to a stop as for a momentary second, they were blinded. It seemed the whole sky had lit up in one, giant lightning flash. Darien looked around wildly. They were only two or three streets away from their destination – he knew with a sinking feeling they wouldn't make it in time.

His face felt like it was on fire, but that was just the icy cold blasts of air whipping into him. Serena swung to him with panic gleaming in her eyes. She buried her head in his chest and he felt her shoulders shake.

"We can't go back," he heard her sob over the roar of the wind. "We can't go back, knowing...."

But something was different this time. They weren't in the same clueless position they had been, all those weeks ago. They had a chance at avoiding this. His determination resolved. "Come on, Meatball Head," he said fiercely, leaning down to her ear. "We'll fight this."

"What?"

"Just keep running, okay? We're not going to look back."

Together, they took off, pushing past the resistance of the elements, fighting their way through. As they rounded a corner, something large and black opened up before them. Both skidded to a stop, yelling in fear.

Before Darien had time to step in front of Serena, something knocked them out of the way. Darien grunted as he landed roughly on the ground. The warm body he felt beside him told him Serena was with him – so what had...

He stared up as a dark figure stood with their back to him, facing the time vortex – which was a gaping black hole, hovering in midair. It swirled around, consuming all the wind that had battled against them. He opened his mouth to warn the stranger, but it seemed he didn't need to. They brought a long stick, seemingly out of nowhere, and aimed it at the centre of the black hole.

He heard a stream of unrecognisable words – was it another language? – and then suddenly, the wind died down, the thunder stopped, the lightning flashed its last, and the vortex collapsed in on itself. The figure turned their head, staring down at him over their shoulder.

As he scrambled to his hands and knees, he never took his eyes off the strange woman. She was dressed in what he instantly recognised as a Sailor Scout uniform, although the colours were new.

"You're Sailor Pluto," he realised. She turned towards them fully now, and watched as Darien helped Serena to her feet. "I want answers, dammit!" he demanded.

"Like why couldn't I help you, back on the Moon?" she asked with a sad smile. "Or why I sent you there in the first place? Why is this day repeating only for the both of you? Yes, I understand you have many questions. And I will answer them now, just this once, as none of it will matter by tomorrow."

She held up her staff, where the garnet orb at the head glinted in the re-emerging sun. "I am, as you have figured out by now, Sailor Pluto; Guardian of Time and Space."

"So if you're the _Guardian of Time and Space_," Serena began hotly, obviously irritated by the woman's calm demeanour in such a dire situation, "why couldn't you come get us the minute we were sent back there? Before all the drama unfolded! No one even had to know we were there, you know. You need to keep an eye on your little vortex's, lady. Or why didn't you just leave yourself a post-it-note? Note to self: Pick up Serena and Darien from the Moon Kingdom, four o'clock." Her tirade dwelled down as Darien squeezed her hand reassuringly. They _would_ get to the bottom of this.

"I guard the timeline, and the gates of Space and Time on a very special plane – very few people in this universe know where to find me; that information is classified. But the information was leaked, somehow. And that information fell into the wrong hands. Beryl."

Darien suppressed the shudder that raced down his spine.

"She had attacked me, in what I assume, was her hope that without my presence, she would be able to take over the Moon Kingdom. If there was no one to foresee the attacks, there would be no one to warn the other planets. I was horribly injured, very nearly left for dead. But Sailor Saturn found me. She brought me back to her planet and had me nursed back to health by her healings, but I was weak. And with little recollection of my accident, there was nothing I, or Saturn, could do. By the time the news that planet Earth had been invaded reached Saturn, I knew I had to go back to the plane to see the timeline."

Her eyes shifted from Serena's to Darien's. "The timeline, in my absence, had grown corrupted, having been left in such an unruly state with no one to fix it. There were glitches, thousands of them – time jumps and quantum leaps, rips and disruptions in the natural course of history. I set to work, reassembling time as best as I could. When I had finally fixed the majority of the line, I saw Beryl begin her siege on the Moon Kingdom. There was nothing I could do, it was too late."

"But couldn't you go back in time and stop all this from happening?" Serena asked, eyeing the staff warily.

Sailor Pluto swept an arm out, indicating their surroundings. "I have repaired the final glitch. Without that vortex just now, you and Darien would never have been sent back in time, and that means history will correct itself and run its natural course. Exactly the way it was supposed to."

"Wait, you did this?" Darien made a face, waving a hand above his head. "You repeated this day so you could stop us from getting sucked into the black hole?"

The Scout of Pluto nodded.

"Then how the hell does that work? What about our memories? Are our brains just going to completely fry? Scramble on themselves as we go blank and forget everything that had happened?"

The dark haired soldier shook her head gravely. "No. Because you won't remember a thing. Now that the timelines are back in order, I must erase your memories, and any memories that involve the two of you from others, so you may live the lives you were supposed to lead."

Darien turned to Serena, who gaped at him. She clutched both his hands in hers. "No!" she shouted. "You can't do that! You can't take our memories away, they're ours! We deserve to remember what we lived through!"

Sailor Pluto's lips pressed into a thin line. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter. I must do what is in order to protect the timeline."

"Stuff the timeline!" Serena shouted. "You can't control it anyway! LEAVE US ALONE!"

Darien could see the woman's fingers flexing around the staff. He knew they wouldn't have a chance. She had all the power. He turned back to Serena and brought their hands up to eyelevel. Serena's eyes widened at the action, snapping between their hands and his eyes.

"No, Darien, she can't do this!" she shrieked. "She can't, she can't, she can't, she can't!" She burst into tears, knowing that once again, the end was near. "Because that means you won't remember me. And I won't remember you. Not like this. We'll go back to fighting with each other. You'll hate me again!"

Darien's eyes softened at her tears, but he forced himself to laugh lightly. "Hey, don't fret, Meatball Head. We're soulmates, remember? We'll find each other again, even after all the tears and arguments! We'll be together again in no time."

As Sailor Pluto lifted the staff, the garnet glinted once again in the sun's rays. The short flash captured on a tear, trekking its way down Serena's cheek as they leaned in for their last kiss.

The staff was waved, the magic took over and time churned forward.

* * *

_The Next Day:_

_

* * *

  
_

"Waaah! I'm so late!" Serena wailed, leaping out of bed and rushing around her room to find her uniform. It was draped over her desk as it usually was. She quickly threw it on, brushed her teeth, styled her hair, grabbed a piece of toast and her schoolbag and she was the door.

"Bye mum! Bye dad! Bye Sammy!"

Serena huffed and puffed as she dashed up the streets and through Juuban. She was only minutes away from the school when something caught her eye.

"Hey!" she yelled in outrage, momentarily forgetting her lateness. "Leave that cat alone!" she switched directions and chased after the boys who had been crowded around something in an empty carpark. A battered looking cat, with shiny black fur lay on the cement. _Aw, poor kitty!_ Serena thought in sympathy, dropping her bag on the ground and kneeling to pick it up. "Hey what's that bandaid for?"

* * *

_Well, what did I tell you? Fits snugly into canon (minus the age difference, but the romance doesn't work at 14 and 18, does it?). Leave me lots of love! An Unlikely Hero will be out in 6 days :)_

_xo_

_Carmen Delta_


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